U.S. Supreme Court Remands Indiana Ultrasound and Parental Notifications Appeals to United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

WASHINGTON, JULY 2, 2020 — As the U.S. Supreme Court reaches the end of its current term, the Justices today granted writs of certiorari in two of three Indiana abortion appeals cases vacating the decisions and sending them back to the lower court for further review.

“We are pleased that the U.S. Supreme Court recognized the importance of these laws by sending them back to the Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals for review,” said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life.

In Indiana, the ultrasound law requires that a woman seeking an abortion is given the opportunity to view an ultrasound of her unborn baby at least 18 hours prior to an abortion. This law was blocked by the Seventh Circuit.

The U.S. Supreme Court also sent back to the Seventh Circuit for review a parental notification law which the Seventh Circuit had blocked. Studies continue to show the positive impacts these laws have in significantly reducing the rates of abortion, birth, and pregnancy rates among minors.

“A woman has the right to know what her child looks like before making an irreversible decision that takes the life of her child,” said Tobias. “Parents also have the right to be involved in their minor daughter’s abortion decision.”

“Parental involvement laws have been upheld for decades so the prospect of Indiana's law being upheld is good. And Indiana's ultrasound law presents a novel question but also does not create a substantial obstacle to access to abortion, so it too should be upheld,” said James Bopp, Jr., General Counsel to National Right to Life. “Of course, the pro-abortion Justices want to strike these laws now but Republican-appointed Justices refused to do this. The stark choice this November could not be clearer.”

Indiana Right to Life President Mike Fichter said that they “are cautiously optimistic that the ultrasound and parental notification appeals will find success in the Seventh Circuit.”

The U.S. Supreme Court denied cert in a case regarding the licensing of the Whole Women’s Health Association abortion clinic in South Bend. With cert denied, Whole Women’s Health Association abortion clinic can continue to operate while it pursues its lawsuit regarding its licensing.

Founded in 1968, the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), the federation of 50 state right-to-life affiliates and more than 3,000 local chapters, is the nation's oldest and largest grassroots pro-life organization. Recognized as the flagship of the pro-life movement, NRLC works through legislation and education to protect innocent human life from abortion, infanticide, assisted suicide and euthanasia.

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