Wyoming judge blocks fetal heartbeat abortion ban amid legal challenge
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A judge in Wyoming has temporarily blocked the state’s newest abortion limit, halting enforcement of a law that bans most abortions when a fetal heartbeat is detected, usually at six weeks of pregnancy.
Natrona County District Judge Dan Forgey on Friday granted a temporary injunction against the Human Heartbeat Act while the case continues in court.
Forgey wrote that the plaintiffs “sufficiently demonstrate that they have suffered irreparable harm,” adding that “the state defendants have not convincingly argued to the contrary.”
He also said the plaintiffs have “sufficiently demonstrated probable success” under Article 1, Section 38 of the Wyoming Constitution, which protects the rights of individuals to make their own health decisions.
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Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon during the DC Blockchain Summit in Washington, DC, USA on Wednesday, March 26, 2025 (Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The ruling is the latest milestone in Wyoming’s long-running abortion fight and comes just months after the Wyoming Supreme Court struck down two previous abortion restrictions, finding they violated the state constitution’s health care autonomy protections. That January decision reshaped the legal landscape in Wyoming and prompted lawmakers to try again with a narrower ban tied to detection of fetal heart activity.
The law, passed during the Legislature’s 2026 session and signed by Republican Gov. Mark Gordon on March 9, went into effect in March. Abortion is prohibited after approximately the sixth week of pregnancy, once a fetal heartbeat is detected. The measure includes exceptions for medical emergencies that threaten a woman’s life or health, but not for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest.
“The fact that the law does not align with my pro-life stance is concerning for certain vulnerable groups,” Gordon wrote in a letter to MPs on Monday.
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This reflects his reservations when signing the law in March and the expected legal fight.
“I strongly share his commitment to defending the lives of unborn children and supporting the intentions behind the Human Heartbeat Act,” he wrote in a statement. “Unfortunately, this Act represents a well-intentioned but possibly fragile legal effort that risks ending up in the courts, rather than a lasting and permanent policy. I fear we have added another chapter to the sad saga of constantly trying to force a particular solution rather than finding a remedy that will save the unborn.”
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Gordon’s signature makes Wyoming the fifth state to ban most abortions at this stage of pregnancy, joining Florida, Georgia, Iowa and South Carolina. Another 13 states prohibit abortion at any stage of pregnancy, with some exceptions.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
