Newly all-male South Carolina Supreme Court scrutinizes abortion ban months after tossing one out

By JAMES POLLARD
Associated Press/Report for America

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A potential swing vote on the newly all-male South Carolina Supreme Court grilled lawyers over whether patients have enough time to get an abortion after learning of their pregnancy as the justices weighed whether a new ban is similarly unconstitutional to one that got shot down earlier this year. The right to an abortion in South Carolina was back before the state’s highest court Tuesday as Republicans try to restore the ban. A 3-2 majority in January tossed a similar law that banned abortion once cardiac activity is detected. Republican Gov. Henry McMaster recently signed into law a similar ban that starts once cardiac activity is detected. That restriction has been placed on hold as the case involving the new ban moves through the courts.