Filed Date: March 31, 2026
Case Ongoing
Clearinghouse coding complete
This is a challenge to Wyoming’s six-week abortion ban.
On March 31, 2025, Chelsea’s Fund, Circle of Hope Health Care Services, Inc. (“Wellspring), a registered nurse, and two OB/GYNs (collectively, the “Plaintiffs”) filed suit in the Natrona County District Court against Wyoming, the Governor, the Attorney General, the Sheriff of Natrona County, and the Chief of Police of the City of Casper. Chelsea’s Fund is a nonprofit that provides information, funding assistance, and other logistical support to Wyomingites accessing abortion, and Wellspring is an abortion clinic.
Plaintiffs challenged House Bill 126, which prohibited abortion if the fetus had a “detectable fetal heartbeat” – which, although undefined by the law, was understood by Plaintiffs to mean at six weeks gestation – except in the cases of medical emergencies (the “Six-Week Ban”). House Bill 126 had been adopted in the 2026 legislative session and signed into law by the Wyoming Governor on March 9, 2026.
Plaintiffs alleged that the Six-Week Ban violated numerous provisions of the Wyoming Constitution, including: the state equal protection clause, by subjecting women seeking abortions and abortion providers to more stringent requirements than other similarly situated individuals and entities; Article 1, § 38 of the Wyoming Constitution, which guarantees Wyomingites right to make their own health care decisions; Plaintiffs’ right against the government establishment of religion; the right to due process; the right to uniform operation of laws; the protection against special legislation; and the rights to determine family composition, privacy, and bodily autonomy. Additionally, Plaintiffs alleged that the Six-Week Ban was unconstitutionally vague. Represented by private counsel, Plaintiffs sought declaratory and injunctive relief, as well as costs and expenses.
On April 22, 2026, the held a hearing on the motion for a temporary restraining order and, on April 24, the court granted the motion in part. The court found that Plaintiffs had made a sufficient showing of irreparable harm and of probable success on the merits, particularly when the statutes were considered according to Article 1, § 38 of the Wyoming Constitution and how the Wyoming Supreme Court found the section protected a right to abortion in State v. Johnson, 2026 WY 1, 528 P.3d 380 (Wyo. 2026) (see a full summary of this case in Johnson v. State of Wyoming II).
As of June 8, 2026, the case is ongoing.
Summary Authors
Avery Coombe (6/8/2026)
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Healthcare Access and Reproductive Issues
Key Dates
Filing Date: March 31, 2026
Case Ongoing: Yes
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
An abortion clinic, an abortion fund, two OB/GYNs, and a registered nurse.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Non-profit NON-religious organization
Public Interest Lawyer: No
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
City
Chief of Police
County
Sheriff
State
Attorney General
Governor
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Other Dockets:
Wyoming state trial court 2026-cv-0116148
Available Documents:
Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff OR Mixed
Relief Sought:
Relief Granted:
Preliminary injunction / Temp. restraining order
Source of Relief:
Content of Injunction:
Issues
Reproductive rights:
Reproductive health care (including birth control, abortion, and others)
Time-based abortion prohibition
Case Summary of Johnson v. State of Wyoming IV, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/48192/ (last updated 6/8/2026).