Mon Sep 09 14:30:00 UTC 2024: ## Missouri Supreme Court to Decide Fate of Abortion Ballot Measure in Last-Minute Legal Battle
**JEFFERSON CITY, MO** – The Missouri Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments Tuesday morning in a crucial case that will determine whether voters will have the chance to weigh in on the state’s abortion ban in the upcoming election.
The court faces a 5 p.m. Tuesday deadline to finalize ballots for the November 5th election, adding urgency to the situation. The legal drama unfolded after Cole County Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh ruled Friday that the abortion-rights amendment, known as Amendment 3, should be removed from the ballot.
Limbaugh’s decision was based on a state law requiring initiative petitions to include the full text of existing laws that would be repealed by the measure. The amendment’s proponents argued that the specific laws to be repealed would be determined later by the courts, but Limbaugh deemed their omission a violation of the law.
Following Limbaugh’s ruling, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft initially reversed his decision to place the measure on the ballot, prompting legal action from proponents of the abortion-rights amendment. They filed a motion to hold Ashcroft in contempt of court for violating a previous stay.
The case has drawn national attention as Missourians could be among the first to vote on reversing a near-complete abortion ban since the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The outcome of the Supreme Court’s decision will have far-reaching implications for the future of abortion access in the state.
Supporters of the amendment, including St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones, St. Louis County Executive Sam Page, and other local leaders, have urged the court to overturn Limbaugh’s ruling, arguing that voters should be allowed to weigh in on the matter.
Opponents of the amendment, meanwhile, maintain that the ballot measure is insufficient and should not be included. The Supreme Court’s decision is expected to be swift, given the tight deadline for finalizing ballots. The court’s proceedings can be accessed live on the Supreme Court’s arguments website.
First Piper 