Florida
Related: About this forumFBaggins
(27,738 posts)The three remaining Crist-appointed judges (not exactly progressives - he was a republican at the time) see their terms expire in January. An already-conservative court is bound to become overwhelmingly so by the time this case reaches them
Wednesdays
(20,313 posts)In It to Win It
(9,635 posts)Then after that, the real battle begins
FBaggins
(27,738 posts)The First District Court of Appeals overturned the ruling about two weeks later.
In It to Win It
(9,635 posts)The real battle is at the state supreme court, because current state supreme court precedent says abortion is a right under the state constitution. Therefore, the Court of Appeals should uphold the trial judges decision because precedent should bind them like it did the trial court, and this is assuming that the trial judge made his decision based on current precedent and the state constitution because I don't think the decision has been published yet.
The state supreme court would have to overrule its current precedent.
Just by a function of law, they will get an automatic stay on appeal of the lower court's decision. All they have to do is file an appeal for now to get a stay. I'm sure the ACLU will request that the decision remain in effect until the appellate court makes its own decision. Then, in theory, the appellate should uphold the trial court's decision because they are bound by state supreme court precedent to do so. Then, we go to the state supreme court where the ACLU will somehow convince a court that has had 20 years of Republican appointments and electorally retained justices that the Court should uphold its current precedent.
FBaggins
(27,738 posts)Has some reliance on Roe, but does evaluate the issue looking at just the state constitution as well. That ruling said that the state could restrict abortion after viability, could not restrict it during the first trimester - and then was a little fuzzy in between.
So they could rule without overturning the 1989 decision if they find enough in the statute that claims they're acting to protect the life/health of the mother (something about a period where it's safer to be pregnant than to abort)...
... or they too could overturn the earlier precedent. As I hinted above, if the state can stretch the decision out for six months, DeSantis might get to appoint three more judges (to the three he already picked).
In It to Win It
(9,635 posts)is such a depression post. We have a long road ahead of us.
FBaggins
(27,738 posts)... but perhaps this will give Crist a kick of support that pulls him back into the race.
Then he gets to replace those three judges.