U.S. appeals court sets Jan 7 argument date in Texas abortion case

[December 28, 2021]    (Reuters) - A United States appeals court has set a Jan. 7 argument date in the Texas abortion case, where the panel will hear the state's bid to push a legal question about enforcement to the state supreme court.

A pro-choice demonstrator holds a sign outside the United States Supreme Court as the court hears arguments over a challenge to a Texas law that bans abortion after six weeks in Washington, U.S., November 1, 2021. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

The challengers of Texas' near total ban on abortion contend the move will delay a merits ruling in the U.S. district court.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court left in place a ban on most abortions in Texas but allowed a legal challenge to proceed, with the fate of the Republican-backed measure that allows private citizens to enforce it still hanging in the balance.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Chris Reese)

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