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The federal lawsuit, brought on behalf of Preterm-Cleveland and other abortion providers in Ohio, sought immediate relief to prevent the six-week abortion ban from taking effect on July 10, 2019. Governor Mike DeWine was the fifth governor to sign this type of abortion ban into law that year.

Ohio Senate Bill 23 (S.B. 23) bans abortion starting as early as six weeks into pregnancy, a point at which most people do not even know they are pregnant. In their lawsuit, plaintiffs argued this law would ban approximately 90 percent of abortions in Ohio, and would disproportionately affect people of color, people struggling financially, and young people.

On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court issued its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, in which it overruled Roe v. Wade, ending the federal constitutional right to abortion and reversing nearly 50 years of precedent. Hours after, a federal judge in Ohio granted the state’s request to allow S.B. 23 to take effect. Plaintiffs later filed an unopposed motion to dismiss the case without prejudice, which was granted on July 7, 2022. Plaintiffs have separately filed a new lawsuit in the Ohio Supreme Court, asking the Court to order state officials not to enforce S.B. 23, and to declare the ban unconstitutional under the Ohio Constitution. This case is ongoing and more information can be found here.

Preterm-Cleveland, Women’s Med Group Professional Corporation, Northeast Ohio Women’s Center, LLC, and Toledo Women’s Center are represented by the ACLU and ACLU of Ohio; Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio Region, Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio, and Dr. Sharon Liner are represented by Planned Parenthood Federation of America.