With State Abortion Restrictions Looming, Some Officials Promise Not to Enforce Them

In most states, local prosecutors are the primary decision makers on what criminal cases to bring in their jurisdictions, but in many cases state attorneys general can usurp that authority if they receive authorization from the governor, said James Tierney, a former Maine attorney general. Some states and their legislatures could test those boundaries, he said.

If Roe is overturned, “we’re going to go through a phase of uncontrolled litigation filed by district attorneys and attorneys general around the country in an unpredictable fashion,” Mr. Tierney said.

Laura Kusisto, “With State Abortion Restrictions Looming, Some Officials Promise Not to Enforce Them,Wall Street Journal, May 22, 2022.