A discussion of the history of abortion law occupied several minutes of the oral argument before the Supreme Court last Wednesday. Much of what was said was false or misleading. Julie Rikelman, the lawyer for the clinic challenging Mississippi’s ban on abortion after 15 weeks, gave voice to that misinformation under searching questioning from Justice Samuel…Read More
As the wait begins for a decision in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization abortion case, close attention will be paid to the comments and questions of three conservative justices on the U.S. Supreme Court that some observers view as possible swing votes: Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., and Associate Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy…Read More
Becket has just released the third annual Religious Freedom Index, the only annual poll that tracks trends across the full spectrum of opinions on American religious freedom. This year’s Index reached a new high as Americans bounced back from a uniquely divisive year with revitalized support for religious liberty. In addition to the Index’s standardized…Read More
Two bishop chairmen on behalf of their committees of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) have cosigned a coalition letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) and Ranking Member Richard Burr (R-NC) with other faith groups raising urgent concerns that the Build Back Better Act’s…Read More
President Joe Biden reaffirmed his support of Roe v. Wade on Wednesday, in response to a question about the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization abortion case before the U.S. Supreme Court that could overturn the nation’s abortion precedent, though he said he did not listen to the oral arguments that took place earlier in…Read More
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES —————— THOMAS E. DOBBS, STATE HEALTH ) OFFICER OF THE MISSISSIPPI ) DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, ET AL., ) Petitioners, ) ) No. 19-1392 v. JACKSON WOMEN’S HEALTH ) ORGANIZATION, ET AL., ) Respondents. ) Continue Reading Transcript of Hearing…
Justice Saumel Alito grilled a pro-choice lawyer during oral arguments in a major abortion case Wednesday over whether using viability as the threshold for when a state can ban abortion is a valid standard. “What would you say to the argument that has been made many times by people who are pro-choice and pro-life, that…Read More
Former vice president Mike Pence is calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. “I came here today to speak about right and wrong, to say life is a human right, and urge the Supreme Court of the United States to choose life,” he said…Read More
The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing a historic case on Dec. 1 that directly challenges Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. Here’s what you need to know: The case, known as Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, involves a 2018 Mississippi law restricting most abortions after 15 weeks. “Dobbs” stands for…Read More
The deluge of proposed legislation ahead of the annual legislative session is, as yet, only a trickle. But there are some items of interest among the 50 or so bills and resolutions already in the hopper. Also, scores of bills filed last session and still in various stages of the legislative process will be eligible…Read More
Oklahoma is less than two weeks away from the state’s next scheduled execution. Death row inmate Bigler Stouffer is scheduled to be put to death on Dec. 9 for the 1985 killing of an Oklahoma teacher. Stouffer’s attorneys are appealing a judge’s decision to not stop his execution because of concerns about the drugs Oklahoma…Read More