Friday, November 18, 2011

317 Texas Women Harmed by Abortion File Brief Supporting Enforcement of Texas' Informed Consent Law

Nova Health Systems v. Edmondson

Current Cases

Oklahoma's Recent Law Requiring Doctors to Show Expectant Mothers a Sonogram Before Performing an Abortion is Being Challenged in Court. The Law of Life Project is Spearheading the Fight to Keep This Life-Saving Prescription on the Books

More...

Media_httpwwwlawoflif_hwhyy

Media_httpztedwardsco_dbqhg

Law Requires Abortionists to Show and Explain to the Mother an Ultrasound Image of Her Unborn Child Before Gaining Her Consent to the Abortion

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit accepts "friend of the court" brief filed by The Justice Foundation, The United States Justice Foundation and Jubilee Campaign's Law of Life Project on behalf of their clients, 317 Texas Women Injured by Abortion, who are requesting the Court to vacate a August 30 preliminary injunction issued by a lower court preventing the enforcement of those provisions of Texas' informed consent law (H.B. 15) that require the abortionist before performing a elective abortion to show the mother a sonogram image of her child, provide a medical description of what that sonogram is depicting, including the fetal heartbeat and an opportunity to hear it, and the requirement the mother certify her receipt of such information before the abortion can be commenced.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 18, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- Today the Jubilee Campaign's Law of Life Project, along with two other public interest legal organizations, the Justice Foundation and the United States Justice Foundation, applauded the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal's Order, over the opposition of Texas abortion providers, permitting them to file their "friend of the court" brief on behalf of 317 Texas Women Injured by Abortion. The Court's order also permits the filing and the Court's consideration of "friends of the court" briefs, filed by the Texas Alliance for Life, the American Center for Law & Justice, the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and by Texas Senator Dan Patrick and Texas Rep. Sid Miller. Taken together these briefs provide the many legal, humanitarian and common sense reasons The Court ought to uphold the Texas law requiring every woman be given the opportunity to have all the information she needs, including a viewing and medical description of the real-time ultrasound images of her unborn child, before giving her truly voluntary and informed consent to abortion.

Sam Casey, Managing Director and General Counsel for the Jubilee Campaign's Law of Life Project said concerning its "friend of the court" brief:

"We are pleased that the Court over the abortion industry's objections permitted us to file this brief so that the real life perspectives and voices of our clients, 317 Texas Women Injured By Abortion, and the thousands of other women they represent, could be heard. Our clients simply want to make it clear to the Court that women, like themselves, who are not being fully informed by abortionists now will be harmed if the injunction against enforcement of Texas' Informed Consent law (H.B. 15) is not vacated."

Texas' Informed Consent Law (H.B.15), enacted by the Texas Legislature and signed by Governor Perry last May, raises the standard of care regarding informed consent for abortion to the level that a patient would expect for any other medical or surgical procedure. The Act requires the physician or a licensed sonographer to perform a sonogram on a woman considering abortion. The law also requires the physician to provide a medical description of what the images of the unborn child are depicting. Under the law, the woman has a right to see the images of the unborn child and to hear the child's heartbeat if she wishes, though House Bill 15 does not require her to do so.

Click on the following hyperlinks for further general information on the Texas' Informed Consent law (H.B. 15), the abortion industry's Amended Complaint challenging that law, filed by the Center for Reproductive Rights, United States District Court Judge Sam Sparks August 30 Decision & Order enjoining certain provisions of the law pending further court proceedings, and the State of Texas' opening brief asking the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to vacate the preliminary injunction and let the law go into full force and effect.

Jubilee Campaign's Law of Life Project is a public interest legal organization dedicated to legally defending the right to life and dignity of the human being from biological conception until natural death in all matters worldwide where such a defense is required. Jubilee Campaign is an international charitable organization that seeks to be a "voice for the voiceless" promoting the human rights of all, particularly women and children in countries which imprison, terrorize or otherwise oppress them.