Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood

Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood Mr. Masci moderated a panel discussion on Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood of New England scheduled for oral arguments before the Supreme Court the following day. They talked about the case, the court’s past rulings on abortion issues, the potential impact of Chief Justice Roberts' presence on the court, and potential impact of the ruling in the matter. Following their remarks they answered questions from the audience.

In June of 2003 the New Hampshire Legislature passed the New Hampshire Parental Notification Prior to Abortion Act requiring that the doctor notify the parent of a minor at least 48 hours before performing an abortion. Without parental notification, the doctor can be sued by the minor’s parents and face possible criminal charges. A New Hampshire District Court ruled that the act was unconstitutional using previous standards set by the Supreme Court in Planned Parenthood of Southeast Pennsylvania v. Casey and Stenberg v. Carhart, which provides that laws may not impose an undue burden on the right to choose abortion. The First Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the lower court’s ruling. close