Supreme Court decides not to hear cases involving state efforts to defund Planned Parenthood
The US Supreme Court today declined to hear cases involving state efforts to defund Planned Parenthood. Three Justices (Thomas, Alito, and Gorsuch) dissented from the denial of certiorari. The dissenters said the Court should have granted review to address the important legal issue the cases presented–whether there is a private right of action under the […]
Amicus Briefs filed urging US Supreme Court to hear Indiana abortion case
Here is a link to an article discussing amicus briefs that were recently filed urging the United States Supreme Court to review the federal court of appeals decision striking down Indiana’s abortion statute. The Indiana law prohibits abortions when the doctor knows that the sole reason for the abortion is the race, sex, or disability […]
Update on Challenge to California Assisted Suicide Law
Here is a link to story about a decision by an appellate court in California dismissing a suit challenging the constitutionality of California’s law allowing assisted suicide. Because it concluded that the plaintiffs lacked standing, the court did not rule on the constitutionality of the California law. A state trial judge had held the law unconstitutional […]
Judge Invalidates Mississippi Law Banning Abortions After 15 Weeks
Here is a link to a LifeNews.com story about a recent decision by a federal judge invalidating Mississippi’s ban on abortions after 15 weeks. The judge noted that if it wants to overturn Roe v. Wade then the state will “have to seek that relief from a higher court.” It seems likely that the state […]
AMA Continues Discussion of Assisted Suicide
From the National Right to Life News, here is a report on the American Medical Association’s continued discussion of assisted suicide. This is a critical debate because the views of major medical organizations often carry considerable weight in considering whether to legalize assisted suicide.
“Trump Administration issues Final Rules Protecting Conscience Rights in Health Insurance”
Here is a link to a news release from HHS discussing the Final Rules issued by the Trump Administration dealing with conscience rights. The Final Rules were issued on November 7, 2018. This is the latest development in a long running saga that goes back to the Obama Administration’s regulations that required health plans and insurers to […]
Alabama to take dismemberment abortion case to US Supreme Court
Here is a link to a story in the National Right to Life News discussing the Alabama Attorney General’s decision to seek Supreme Court review of a federal court of appeals court decision striking down Alabama’s ban on dismemberment abortions. The case, Miller v. West Alabama Women’s Center, was decided by the Eleventh Circuit in […]
“Abortion cases are heading toward the Supreme Court”
Here is a link to a story in USA Today discussing the abortion cases that are working their way towards the United States Supreme Court. The article notes speculation that the Court might try to avoid the issue after the highly partisan confirmation battle over the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh. Many think the Court may narrow Roe […]
The AMA and Assisted Suicide
The American Medical Association (AMA) has long opposed physician-assisted suicide. In 2016, the AMA began a process to reexamine the issue. A change in position could have far-reaching consequences because courts often rely on the views of medical societies in considering issues such as the constitutionality of laws banning assisted suicide. In the summer of 2018, the […]
Alabama Supreme Court Justice Urges Supreme Court to Overturn Roe v. Wade
Here is a LifeNews.com report on a decision from the Alabama Supreme Court dealing with the state’s unborn victim of violence statute. Such statutes treat unborn children as “persons” and so acts that take the life of unborn children are treated as separate crimes. A person who killed a pregnant women and her unborn child […]