Indiana Supreme Court hears oral arguments over abortion ban
After last summer’s enactment of Senate Bill 1, which outlawed abortion with few exceptions, the Indiana Supreme Court heard oral arguments Thursday from state officials defending the ban and Planned Parenthood seeking to overturn it. The discussion also addressed a preliminary injunction blocking the abortion ban, a case the Supreme Court took on, bypassing the Court of Appeals. There was a stillness of uncertainty in the air before starting, as members of the public pushed for seats inside the courtroom in the Indiana Statehouse. Many visitors seemed new to the Indiana Supreme Court, uncertain about the rules of not wearing political logos or…
Indiana abortion ban hit with second preliminary injunction
For the second time this year, an Indiana judge has issued a preliminary injunction on the state’s abortion ban—Senate Enrolled Act 1—stemming from an American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana lawsuit. The first injunction came when a circuit judge in September decided there was enough merit to pause it, based on Planned Parenthood and the Indiana ACLU’s argument that the ban is illegal under the Indiana Constitution. The lawsuit that prompted the newest decision was brought on behalf of Hoosier Jews for Choice and multiple women and argues that Indiana’s Religious Freedom and Restoration Act protects women's ability to obtain an abortion if their…
Rokita advances complaint against Bernard to Indiana Medical Licensing Board
By Casey Smith Indiana Capital Chronicle Nov. 30, 2022 Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita (above) on Wednesday sent a complaint against an Indianapolis-based doctor who is at the center of a controversial abortion case to the Indiana Medical Licensing Board. The Republican attorney general said in a statement that Dr. Caitlin Bernard, an OB-GYN, “failed to immediately report the abuse and rape of a child to Indiana authorities” after performing the abortion on a 10-year-old girl from Ohio in June. “Here, only Indiana authorities could have possibly stopped this little girl from being sent home to endure possible future harm…
John Krull commentary: A time and place for wisdom
The Indiana Court of Appeals rejected Attorney General Todd Rokita’s attempt to rush the Hoosier state’s draconian new abortion ban through the judicial branch as fast it raced through the legislature. Regardless of where the state’s courts ultimately land on the question, it was the right decision. Haste may not always make waste, but it also rarely leads to wisdom. Wisdom is what we should seek here. The process of acquiring such wisdom isn’t often accompanied by screaming, shouting and the tumult that accompanies passionate anger. There’s more than enough anger on both sides of this divisive issue. Those who…
Doctor who provided minor abortion care sues AG Rokita for ‘baseless investigation’
By Whitney Downard Indiana Capital Chronicle Nov. 3, 2022 Two Indianapolis doctors — including one at the center of a controversial abortion case over the summer — filed suit Thursday against Attorney General Todd Rokita (above) to block his office from continuing a “baseless investigation into physicians who provide abortion care.” The suit claims Rokita overstepped his statutory limits when investigating Dr. Caitlin Bernard, using meritless claims to launch an overly-broad investigation. The Attorney General’s office said Thursday it would defend itself in court. Bernard provided abortion care to a 10-year-old rape victim from Ohio after that state’s strict anti-abortion laws prevented her…
Abortion ban remains blocked as lawsuit heads to Indiana Supreme Court
The Indiana Supreme Court has ruled that it — and not the Indiana Court of Appeals — will hear a lawsuit claiming the state’s abortion ban violates Indiana’s constitution . There is currently a preliminary injunction blocking the ban from taking place—meaning abortions are available up to 20 weeks and can be performed by abortion clinics. With Wednesday’s ruling, this will likely remain the case until at least Jan. 12, when the court will hold oral arguments. In response to the news, the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, the group that filed the lawsuit with Planned Parenthood, said on Twitter, “It is…