Columbus, Oct 7 (AP) A judge in Ohio was scheduled to hear arguments on Friday on whether to extend a block on Ohio's law banning virtually all abortions on a more permanent basis.

Hamilton County Judge Christian Jenkins previously decided to pause the law through October 12, after it took effect in the wake of federal abortion protections being overturned by the US Supreme Court in June.

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That marked the second 14-day pause Jenkins had ordered in a lawsuit brought by the ACLU of Ohio on behalf of the state's remaining abortion providers. He found their lawsuit was “substantially likely to prevail on the merits.”

He must now decide whether to issue a permanent injunction that would pause the law as the litigation proceeds.

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The suit argues that the abortion ban violates protections in the state constitution guaranteeing individual liberty and equal protection. It also says the law is unconstitutionally vague.

Republican Gov. Mike DeWine signed the law in April 2019. It prohibited most abortions after the first detectable “fetal heartbeat.” Cardiac activity can be detected as early as six weeks into pregnancy, or before many people know they're pregnant.

The law was initially blocked through a legal challenge, but it went into effect after the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision was overturned.(AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)