U.S. court rules California’s abortion clinic can reopen after legal challenges

A federal judge in California on Wednesday struck down an abortion clinic’s closure after the clinic sued the state, saying it violated the law’s ban on abortion providers closing down because of health issues.

The lawsuit filed last week said the closure violated the state’s ban against abortion providers operating within 50 miles of a woman’s home.

The ruling by U.N. special rapporteur on freedom of religion and association, Nadine Strossen, does not directly address the question of whether the clinic’s decision to close was motivated by health concerns.

But she said the court’s ruling makes clear that the law “expressly bans” the clinic from taking that action, and that “such a restriction violates the Establishment Clause.”

The ruling is likely to be appealed by the clinic, which has denied any wrongdoing.

The ruling could have implications for other clinics that operate in California, including those in Los Angeles and Orange counties.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.