VICTORY! Federal Court Strikes Down Demeaning North Carolina Ultrasound Law [View all]

[Triana]

Source: NC ACLU

GREENSBORO, NC – A federal district judge today struck down a North Carolina law requiring abortion providers to show a woman an ultrasound and describe the images in detail four hours before having an abortion, even if the woman objects.

The court ruled that key provisions of the law violate doctors’ free speech rights. The law was challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of North Carolina, the Center for Reproductive Rights and Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

“Today's court ruling protects the rights of women and their doctors from the ideological agenda of extremist lawmakers,” said Jennifer Rudinger, executive director of the ACLU of North Carolina. “If these unconstitutional measures had gone into effect, doctors would have been prevented from using their best medical judgment to provide patients with care based on their specific individual needs. This law represented an egregious government intrusion into individuals’ private medical decisions, and we are very pleased that it will not go into effect.”

Read more: http://www.acluofnorthcarolina.org/index.php/blog/victory-federal-court-strikes-down-demeaning-north-carolina-ultrasound-law.html

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Read the court's order here: https://www.aclu.org/sites/default/files/assets/01.17.14_order_granting_partial_summary_judgment.pdf