Description: Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne and Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse a U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit decision against an Arizona law restricting non-emergency abortions after 20 weeks. The law was designed to protect children in the womb who experience pain during a late-term abortion and to protect mothers from the dangers and psychological consequences of late-term abortions.
US Supreme Court declines to hear lawsuit over Ariz. late-term abortion law
Monday, Jan 13, 2014
Attorney sound bite: Steven H. Aden
The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Steven H. Aden regarding the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision Monday to let stand a U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruling that struck down Arizona H.B. 2036, a law that restricted most abortions at 20 weeks or later based on evidence that shows children experience pain beginning at least at that stage and that women can experience increased physical risk and significant psychological trauma from late-term abortions:
“Every innocent life deserves to be protected. Not only did this law protect innocent children in the womb who experience horrific pain during a late-term abortion, it also protected mothers from the increased risk of physical harm and tremendous psychological consequences that come with late-term abortions. New medical knowledge about the pain children can experience in the womb and the potential harms to women shouldn’t be ignored in any civilized society.”
Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys are co-counsel in the case, Horne v. Isaacson, along with Arizona Solicitor General Robert Ellman, Maricopa County Attorney William Montgomery, former U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese III, John Eastman of the Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence, and attorneys with Americans United for Life. In September, Montgomery and Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne petitioned the Supreme Court to hear the case.
Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization that advocates for the right of people to freely live out their faith.