A circuit court judge yesterday morning overruled a motion from the Virginia Attorney General’s office in the case of Falls Church Medical Center vs. Virginia Board of Health. The ruling means Falls Church Healthcare Center’s lawsuit over the politically-motivated regulations will proceed.

Outside the courtroom, over 100 women’s health supporters rallied in support of Falls Church Healthcare Center and their suit against regulations that threaten to shutter the majority of Virginia’s first-trimester abortion providers. Rosemary Codding, director of FCHC, celebrated the court’s ruling. “We’re thrilled that the court today rejected Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli’s attempts to keep this case from being heard. The courts are the citizens’ last resort to monitor government agencies and correct the wrongs. Our appeal ultimately challenges regulations that will remove access to legal, safe abortion care as part of women’s health services. We can now look forward to our day in court to overturn these burdensome and medically unnecessary regulations,” Codding said.

Democratic Attorney General candidate Mark Herring reacted to the court’s rejection of Cuccinelli’s initiative, saying his Republican opponent Mark Obenshain and now gubernatorial candidate Cuccinelli “may think it’s acceptable for Richmond politicians to tell women what they can or can’t do with their bodies, but I think it’s wrong and, as Attorney General, I’ll put an end to it.”