In a heated legal battle over abortion rights in Wisconsin, Republican prosecutor Joel Urmanski has announced his plans to appeal a court ruling that permits consensual medical abortions in the state. This move sets the stage for a potential showdown in the Wisconsin Supreme Court over the contentious issue of abortion rights.

The dispute centers around an 1849 Wisconsin law that conservatives interpret as banning abortion. The recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in June 2022 to overturn Roe v. Wade has reactivated this law, leading to the suspension of abortion services in the state. However, Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul filed a lawsuit challenging the ban's validity, arguing that the statutes were too old to enforce and that a 1985 law allowing abortions before fetuses can survive outside the womb supersedes the ban.

Judge Diane Schlipper of the Dane County Circuit Court ruled in July that while the abortion ban prohibits attacks on pregnant women, it does not apply to consensual medical abortions. This ruling emboldened Planned Parenthood, who then resumed abortion procedures at their clinics in Madison and Milwaukee. However, Urmanski, as the defender of the ban, filed a motion asking Schlipper to reconsider her ruling, which she refused to do in a 14-page opinion issued on Tuesday. She declared that the plaintiffs had won the suit and expressed confidence that prosecutors would abide by her ruling.

Despite the setback, Urmanski remains determined to appeal the decision. He plans to string out the process in the hopes that conservative Justice Ann Walsh Bradley loses re-election and conservatives regain control of the state Supreme Court in the 2025 spring elections. This strategy reflects the political implications and high stakes involved in the battle for abortion rights in Wisconsin.

The legal wrangling has had a significant impact on abortion services in the state, with providers ceasing operations due to the fear of violating the ban. Planned Parenthood's Sheboygan clinic, along with two others in Madison and Milwaukee, has been affected by this suspension. However, with the recent ruling reaffirming the legality of consensual medical abortions, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin expects to resume abortion procedures at its Sheboygan facility as soon as possible.

While conservative groups like Wisconsin Family Action express their disappointment with Schlipper's ruling, calling it a regression that comes at the cost of future lives, Democrats and abortion rights advocates celebrate the decision as a "momentous victory" for reproductive freedom. However, the legal battle is far from over, as conservatives are expected to appeal the ruling, and the case will likely make its way to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. With liberal justices currently holding a 4-3 majority on the court, it is anticipated that Schlipper's ruling will stand, ensuring continued access to consensual medical abortions in Wisconsin.