South Carolina's new all-male highest court reverses course on abortion, upholding strict 6-week ban

South Carolina's newly all-male Supreme Court has reversed course on abortion, upholding a ban on most such procedures after just weeks of pregnancy. The 4-1 ruling Wednesday departs from the court's own decision earlier this year to strike down a similar law from 2021. Writing for the new majority, Justice John Kittredge acknowledged that the ban infringes on “a woman’s right of privacy and bodily autonomy.” But he said that doesn't outweigh what he called “the interest of the unborn child to live.” Chief Justice Donald Beatty provided the lone dissent. He said the law is unclear and exposes doctors to criminal charges if law enforcement disagrees with their expertise.