Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

mahatmakanejeeves

(56,886 posts)
Mon Dec 9, 2019, 12:16 PM Dec 2019

Supreme Court leaves Kentucky's ultrasound law in place

Source: Associated Press

Supreme Court leaves Kentucky’s ultrasound law in place
20 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday left in place a Kentucky law requiring doctors to perform ultrasounds and show fetal images to patients before abortions.

The justices did not comment in refusing to review an appeals court ruling that upheld the law.

The American Civil Liberties Union had challenged the law on behalf of Kentucky’s lone remaining abortion clinic. The ACLU argued that “display and describe” ultrasound laws violate physicians’ speech rights under the First Amendment.

The federal appeals court in Cincinnati upheld the Kentucky law, but its sister court in Richmond, Virginia, struck down a similar measure in North Carolina.
....

Read more: https://apnews.com/d36c289f1d5692fea014e5996f19de7a



Hat tip, Joe.My.God:

SCOTUS Rejects Challenge To Abortion/Ultrasound Law
December 9, 2019

https://www.joemygod.com/2019/12/scotus-rejects-challenge-to-abortion-ultrasound-law/
35 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Supreme Court leaves Kentucky's ultrasound law in place (Original Post) mahatmakanejeeves Dec 2019 OP
And so it continues: the enslavement of American women by the RW patriarchy. lagomorph777 Dec 2019 #1
One thing! atreides1 Dec 2019 #9
So what does this mean for the North Carolina case? Will it go to SCOTUS and if it does and cstanleytech Dec 2019 #2
Most likely, yes. nt okaawhatever Dec 2019 #5
I think every Male who impregnate a woman or Prosecutor and Judge in kentucky should have a internal Pachamama Dec 2019 #3
Fuck! Pacifist Patriot Dec 2019 #4
Absolutely heckles65 Dec 2019 #6
Well damn. Cruelty imposed on women and families in trump Red states. riversedge Dec 2019 #7
Is a clinic obeying the law if a woman absolutely refuses the forced ultrasound? Lonestarblue Dec 2019 #8
Because abortion is a voluntary procedure. eggplant Dec 2019 #18
Anticipate.... Wuddles440 Dec 2019 #10
If this is truly about being "pro life" & not just about subjugating women... CaptainTruth Dec 2019 #11
Excellent analogy. Or force docs to digitally examine prostates before Viagra prescriptions. . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Dec 2019 #13
Forced speech, extra expense, etc. Next up, forced birthing? Bernardo de La Paz Dec 2019 #12
This means that at least one of the four Democrats on the Court voted to let the decision stand onenote Dec 2019 #14
Yes, at least one did Polybius Dec 2019 #17
I think what they're doing here is throwing the baying hounds a bone. Haggis for Breakfast Dec 2019 #23
Yet people still expect Roberts, despite constantly voting the opposite way, to uphold our laws? lark Dec 2019 #15
Apparently we didn't have all four of the Democrats on our side in this instance. onenote Dec 2019 #16
Under His eye. swag Dec 2019 #19
Praise Ingersollman Dec 2019 #20
Well, of course they did. But the REAL question is: AZ8theist Dec 2019 #21
Bullshit! Must be the Kavanaugh Effect. Nitram Dec 2019 #22
Gynotician keithbvadu2 Dec 2019 #24
Fuck the religious right!!!! Initech Dec 2019 #25
Why doesn't the AMA speak up? PoindexterOglethorpe Dec 2019 #26
You might try doing a bit of research before posting. onenote Dec 2019 #30
Thank you. PoindexterOglethorpe Dec 2019 #32
They do, every time one of these silly laws is pending or passed. TwilightZone Dec 2019 #31
I stand corrected. PoindexterOglethorpe Dec 2019 #33
That's where letters to the editor and other public comment lines come in. All of us (yes, you) ... Hekate Dec 2019 #35
What if the woman shuts her eyes tight? question everything Dec 2019 #27
The law expressly states that the woman can choose not to pay attention onenote Dec 2019 #28
Thanks. I suppose we should be grateful for small allowances question everything Dec 2019 #29
The Right Wing is laser-focused on lifetime judicial appointments while we poor fools ... Hekate Dec 2019 #34

lagomorph777

(30,613 posts)
1. And so it continues: the enslavement of American women by the RW patriarchy.
Mon Dec 9, 2019, 12:26 PM
Dec 2019

We desperately need to remove Moscow Mitch And His Minions.

atreides1

(16,046 posts)
9. One thing!
Mon Dec 9, 2019, 01:34 PM
Dec 2019

We need to quit putting all of the blame on RW men...because RW women are just as complicit, if not more so!!!

Moscow Mitch has to go, but so do the women in Congress who support him!!!

cstanleytech

(26,080 posts)
2. So what does this mean for the North Carolina case? Will it go to SCOTUS and if it does and
Mon Dec 9, 2019, 12:26 PM
Dec 2019

SCOTUS rules the law unconstitutional will that kill the Kentucky law?

Pachamama

(16,873 posts)
3. I think every Male who impregnate a woman or Prosecutor and Judge in kentucky should have a internal
Mon Dec 9, 2019, 12:28 PM
Dec 2019

...ultrasound of their anus or vagina done and the images shown to them after.....

Lonestarblue

(9,874 posts)
8. Is a clinic obeying the law if a woman absolutely refuses the forced ultrasound?
Mon Dec 9, 2019, 01:17 PM
Dec 2019

An ultrasound is a medically unnecessary procedure being forced on women against their will. How is this legal? If a doctor wants to remove my appendix when I have no symptoms, I have the right to refuse that unnecessary medical treatment. How is this different? SCOTUS is showing us what will happen when a case comes before them that will allow them to overturn Roe v. Wade.

eggplant

(3,891 posts)
18. Because abortion is a voluntary procedure.
Mon Dec 9, 2019, 02:56 PM
Dec 2019

You have the right to refuse the ultrasound. You just can't have the abortion without it.

Wuddles440

(1,098 posts)
10. Anticipate....
Mon Dec 9, 2019, 01:55 PM
Dec 2019

more such decisions/actions by SCOTUS in the future - they are nothing more than an extension of the CONS and their fascist thugs.

CaptainTruth

(6,546 posts)
11. If this is truly about being "pro life" & not just about subjugating women...
Mon Dec 9, 2019, 01:58 PM
Dec 2019

... they'll pass a law requiring McDonalds to show you a picture of a cow before you order a hamburger.

onenote

(42,374 posts)
14. This means that at least one of the four Democrats on the Court voted to let the decision stand
Mon Dec 9, 2019, 02:03 PM
Dec 2019

Four votes are all it takes to grant a petition for certiorari. So that means that at least one of the following Justices did not support hearing the challenge to the appeals court decision: Ginsburg, Sotomayor, Kagan, and Breyer.

The question is why?
The answer, I fear, may be found in the way the issue was presented by those challenging. This was not a case in which women, as patients, were the plaintiffs. The plaintiffs were doctors and the basis of the claim was that forcing doctors do disclose the results of an ultrasound violated the First Amendment rights of doctors. While the dissent in the appeals court argued, in effect, that the real issue was the part of the law that forced doctors to conduct ultrasounds in all cases, that issues seems to have gotten swept under the rug not only in the appeals court decision upholding the law, but also seems to have gotten lost in the petitioners challenge to the appeals court ruling.

Polybius

(15,235 posts)
17. Yes, at least one did
Mon Dec 9, 2019, 02:53 PM
Dec 2019

True, it takes four votes to hear a case. Assuming all 5 Republicans passed on this, that means at least one out of the four didn't want to hear it. Which one we may never know.

I hate to say it, but I think it's RBG. Last week she granted Trump his tax stay. Procedural, yes, but she didn't have to do it.

Haggis for Breakfast

(6,831 posts)
23. I think what they're doing here is throwing the baying hounds a bone.
Mon Dec 9, 2019, 10:20 PM
Dec 2019

These christo-fascists are not going to go quietly. Ever. But if the SCOTUS takes little baby steps in reviewing these cases, and allows some things to stand, like this ultra-sound matter (even though I think they're medially-unnecessary and there is no cost justification
for the insurance companies to reconcile this in coverage), they lend the appearance of being sympathetic to the right.

Roberts knows that there is going to be a showdown. I just think he's trying to delay the inevitable.

lark

(23,003 posts)
15. Yet people still expect Roberts, despite constantly voting the opposite way, to uphold our laws?
Mon Dec 9, 2019, 02:20 PM
Dec 2019

He is a far rw supporting russian repug just like the other 5 who only have fealty to oligarchs, and not their own country's laws. I hope & pray for once in his life he votes solely for the constitution and against drumpf when all the obstruction of information cases land there, but I'm certainly not holding my breath.

onenote

(42,374 posts)
16. Apparently we didn't have all four of the Democrats on our side in this instance.
Mon Dec 9, 2019, 02:24 PM
Dec 2019

It's easy to point a finger at the Republicans, but in this instance, if all four Democrats on the Court had voted to grant cert, the case would have moved forward. At least one of them decided to let the appeals court decision stand.

PoindexterOglethorpe

(25,746 posts)
26. Why doesn't the AMA speak up?
Mon Dec 9, 2019, 11:21 PM
Dec 2019

Why don't doctors stand firm against this bullshit?

I don't think I have EVER seen doctors pointing out that this kind of procedure is unnecessary and violates a woman's bodily integrity. What the fuck is wrong with doctors?

onenote

(42,374 posts)
30. You might try doing a bit of research before posting.
Tue Dec 10, 2019, 12:26 AM
Dec 2019

The following groups filed a brief arguing the Court should strike down the KY law:

BRIEF FOR AMICI CURIAE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF OBSTETRICIANS AND GYNECOLOGISTS, THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, THE NORTH AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR PEDIATRIC AND ADOLESCENT GYNECOLOGY, THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC OBSTETRICIANS AND GYNECOLOGISTS, AND THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS SUPPORTING PETITIONERS


A second brief was filed the American Public Health Association.

The plaintiffs in the case were the Woment's Surgical Center; Ernest Marshall, M.D., on behalf of himself and his patients; Ashley Bergin, M.D., on behalf of herself and her patients; Tanya Franklin, M.D., on behalf of herself and her patients

TwilightZone

(25,342 posts)
31. They do, every time one of these silly laws is pending or passed.
Tue Dec 10, 2019, 12:32 AM
Dec 2019

If you haven't seen medical organizations objecting to these laws, you haven't been paying attention.

PoindexterOglethorpe

(25,746 posts)
33. I stand corrected.
Tue Dec 10, 2019, 01:10 PM
Dec 2019

Thank you.

but somehow I never seem to see what they say. That should get more coverage than it does.

Hekate

(90,189 posts)
35. That's where letters to the editor and other public comment lines come in. All of us (yes, you) ...
Tue Dec 10, 2019, 04:10 PM
Dec 2019

...need to amplify the truth.

onenote

(42,374 posts)
28. The law expressly states that the woman can choose not to pay attention
Tue Dec 10, 2019, 12:20 AM
Dec 2019

"nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the pregnant woman from averting her eyes from the ultrasound images or requesting the volume of the heartbeat be reduced or turned off if the heartbeat is audible. Neither the physician, the qualified technician, nor pregnant woman shall be subject to any penalty if the pregnant woman refuses to look at the displayed ultrasound images or to listen to the heartbeat if the heartbeat is audible."


To me the bigger issue is forcing a woman to undergo the ultrasound.

Hekate

(90,189 posts)
34. The Right Wing is laser-focused on lifetime judicial appointments while we poor fools ...
Tue Dec 10, 2019, 04:07 PM
Dec 2019

...like to boast that -- what? We drove out Al Franken while they kept all the wife-cheaters and wife-beaters?

The RW no longer plays by any rules of honor and integrity, but they keep winning.

We have to work smarter. Much smarter.

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Supreme Court leaves Kent...