Politics

Federal judge says constitutional right to abortion may exist

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On Monday, A federal judge in Washington, D.C. hinted that a natural right to abortion might still exist, this is in spite of the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling last year where they voted to overturn Roe v. Wade.

U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly informed lawyers on Monday they must file briefs stating whether or not the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which was added in 1865 to abolish slavery and “involuntary servitude”, protects a woman’s right to have an abortion.

Judge Kollar-Kotelly stated that the Supreme Court Justices only considered precedent surrounding the 14th Amendment when the Supreme Court delivered its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization last year.  This ruling removed the 1973 Roe V Wade law which gave women a constitutional right to an abortion.

“[I]t is entirely possible that the Court might have held in Dobbs that some other provision of the Constitution provided a right to access reproductive services had that issue been raised,” Judge Kollar-Kotelly wrote. “However, it was not raised.”

Kollar-Kotelly’s request relates to a one-year old case against 10 defendants, who have been charged with conspiring to block access to an abortion clinic in Washington DC.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone to interfere with “the right to obtain and seek to obtain, and to provide and seek to provide, reproductive health services.”

Prosecutors say that the ten “forcefully pushed through the Clinic door into the Clinic’s waiting room,” injuring a nurse in the process.

Herb Geraghty, who is the executive director of a Pennsylvania-based anti-abortion group, said on Twitter that his “nonviolent pro-life advocacy” has led to him facing federal charges.

ARTICLE: PAUL MURDOCH

MANAGING EDITOR: LUKE MOCHERMAN

PHOTO CREDIT: KAISER HEALTH NEWS

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Paul Murdoch

Paul, 37, is from Scotland in the UK, but currently lives and works in Bangkok. Paul has worked in different industries such as telemarketing, retail, hospitality, farming, insurance, and teaching, where he works now. He teaches at an all-girls High School in Bangkok. “It’s a lot of work, but I love my job.” Paul has an active interest in politics. His reason for writing for FBA is to offer people the facts and allow them to make up their own minds. Whilst he believes opinion columns have their place, it is also important that people can have accurate news with no bias.

Paul, 37, is from Scotland in the UK, but currently lives and works in Bangkok. Paul has worked in different industries such as telemarketing, retail, hospitality, farming, insurance, and teaching, where he works now. He teaches at an all-girls High School in Bangkok. “It’s a lot of work, but I love my job.” Paul has an active interest in politics. His reason for writing for FBA is to offer people the facts and allow them to make up their own minds. Whilst he believes opinion columns have their place, it is also important that people can have accurate news with no bias.

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