I’m pleased to share AUL’s 2021 Q3 Life Litigation Report. The only comprehensive listing of pro-life litigation publicly available, this report documents the status of major cases concerning Life across the country in federal and state courts. The purpose of the report is to provide you with a useful resource, in addition to AUL’s expertise, on legal and policy issues affecting Life.

The Texas Heartbeat Act (S.B. 8) is undergoing contentious litigation. Under S.B. 8, a physician may not knowingly perform or induce an abortion on a pregnant woman unless the physician has determined whether the woman’s unborn child has a detectable fetal heartbeat. If the unborn child has a heartbeat, then the physician may not knowingly perform or induce an abortion. S.B. 8 contains a medical emergency exception to these provisions.

What makes S.B. 8 unusual is that the Act is enforced exclusively through private civil actions. S.B. 8 prohibits the state and public officials from enforcing it. Although for those opposed to it, the enforcement mechanism raises the issue of whom to sue, abortion proponents nevertheless have challenged S.B. 8 in the following cases:

  • United States of America v. Texas (5th Cir. No. 21-50949) (lead case) (dist ct. granted prelim. inj. Oct. 6, 2021; appealed Oct. 7, 2021; granted Texas’s mot. to stay prelim. inj. pending appeal Oct. 14, 2021; oral arg. tentatively set for week of Dec. 6, 2021; Just. Dep’t announced intent to file appl. for inj. relief in SCOTUS Oct. 15, 2021)
     
  • Whole Women’s Health v. Jackson (5th Cir. No. 21-50792) (consolidated with No. 21-50949) (5th Cir. denied mots. for inj. pending appeal and to lift stays Aug. 29, 2021; SCOTUS denied appl. for inj. relief Sept. 1, 2021; oral arg. tentatively set for week of Dec. 6, 2021)
     
  • In re Texas Heartbeat Act Litig. (Tex. Multidist. Litig. Panel No. 21-0782) (stayed proceedings in trial ct. cases pending further order of Multidistrict Litig. Panel Sept. 23, 2021; granted Tex. Right to Life’s mot. to transfer fourteen cases to Multidist. Litig. Panel Oct. 14, 2021)
     
  • Braid v. Stilley (N.D. Ill. No. 1:21-cv-5283) (compl. for interpleader and declaratory j. filed Oct. 5, 2021; Def. Gomez’s mot. to dismiss filed Oct. 11, 2021; order granting interpleader Oct. 15, 2021)

Here are some other highlights from the Life Litigation Report that appears below:

Oral argument in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization is set for December 1, 2021 before the Supreme Court (No. 19-1392). Dobbs examines the constitutionality of pre-viability abortions and has the potential of overturning Casey’s “undue burden” standard and possibly Roe v. Wade.

The Supreme Court heard oral argument on October 12, 2021 in Cameron v. EMW Women’s Surgical Center regarding the Kentucky Attorney General’s right to intervene at the appellate stage to defend the state’s dismemberment abortion law (No. 20-601). This case will affect pro-life legislation across the country because many pro-life bills contain intervention clauses.

A ten-year-old informed consent case from South Dakota has returned to the Eighth Circuit and currently is in briefing in Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota v. Noem (8th Cir. No. 21-2922).

Parties are briefing the Pennsylvania Supreme Court regarding a challenge to state Medicaid limits on abortion funding in Allegheny Reproductive Health Center v. Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (Penn. No. 26-MAP-2021).

In the Northern District of California, pro-choice plaintiffs are suing under the Americans with Disabilities Act to expand the state’s End of Life Option Act from assisted suicide to euthanasia (N.D. Cal. No. 3:21-cv-6654).

Alabama

Federal Court of Appeals

  • Parental notice – Reprod. Health Servs. v. Bailey (11th Cir. No. 17-13561) (affirmed dist. ct. decision for Reprod. Health Servs. June 30, 2021; Bailey filed pet. for rehr’g en banc July 21, 2021)

Federal District Court

  • Gestational limits – Robinson v. Marshall (M.D. Ala. No. 2:19-cv-365) (ban with narrow exceptions) (granted prelim. inj. Oct. 29, 2019; dist. ct. ordered updated briefing on clarification of remaining issues as of July 6, 2020)

Alaska

No cases reported

Arizona

Federal Court of Appeals

  • Prenatal non-discrimination/personhood – Isaacson v. Brnovich (9th Cir. No. 21-16645) (disability) (prelim. inj. granted in part and denied in part Sept. 28, 2021; state appealed Oct. 6, 2021)

Arkansas

U.S. Supreme Court

  • Gestational limits/physician only/prenatal non-discrimination – Little Rock Family Planning Servs. v. Rutledge(No. 20-1434) (18-week limit, Down syndrome) (8th Cir. affirmed prelim. inj. Jan. 5, 2021; cert. pet. filed Apr. 14, 2021 on Down syndrome issue only; set for conference Sept. 27, 2021; apparently being held pending Dobbs) (amicus curie brief on behalf of Americans United for Life)

Federal Court of Appeals

  • Gestational limits/fetal remains/prenatal non-discrimination – Hopkins v. Jegley (8th Cir. No. 21-1068) (dismemberment, sex) (Hopkins’ [abortion provider] pet. for rehr’g en banc denied Dec. 15, 2020 [8th Cir. No. 17-2879]; am. compl. filed Dec. 22, 2020; dist. ct. issued prelim. inj. Jan. 5, 2021; interlocutory appeal filed Jan. 11, 2021; held in abeyance pending Dobbs) (amicus curiae brief on behalf of Americans United for Life)
  • Gestational limits – Little Rock Family Planning Servs. v. Jegley (8th Cir. No. 21-2857) (ban with narrow exceptions) (dist. ct. issued prelim. inj. July 20, 2021; appealed Aug. 19, 2021; held in abeyance pending Dobbs)

Federal District Court

  • Abortion funding – Planned Parenthood of Ark. & E. Okla., Inc. v. Gillespie (E.D. Ark. No. 4:15-cv-566)(Medicaid) (proceedings stayed Sept. 22, 2021; joint update due Nov. 22, 2021)

California

Federal Court of Appeals

  • Conscience rights – California v. U.S. Dep’t of Health and Human Servs. (9th Cir. No. 20-16802) (ACA § 1303) (granted HHS’ voluntary mot. to dismiss Sept. 29, 2021)
  • Conscience rights – California v. Azar (9th Cir. Nos. 20-16045 [lead case], 20-15398, 20-15399) (HHS Conscience Protection Rule) (status rep. filed Oct. 1, 2021)
  • Free speech – Planned Parenthood Fed’n of Am. v. Ctr. for Med. Progress (9th Cir. Nos. 20-16068, 20-16070, 20-16773, 20-16820) (undercover videos) (briefed and awaiting oral arg. schedule as of Aug. 4, 2021) (amicus curiaebrief on behalf of Americans United for Life)

Federal District Court

  • Assisted suicide – Shavelson v. Cal. Dep’t of Health (N.D. Cal. No. 3:21-cv-6654) (ADA challenge to expand End of Life Option Act) (compl. filed Aug. 27, 2021; denied prelim. inj. Sept. 20, 2021)
  • Conscience rights – California v. U.S. Dep’t of Health and Human Servs’ (N.D. Cal. No. 4:17-cv-5783) (Affordable Care Act Contraception Mandate) (stayed pending rulemaking as of Aug. 17, 2021)
  • Conscience rights – Skyline Wesleyan Church v. Cal. Dep’t of Health (S.D. Cal. No. 3:16-cv-501) (Cal. abortion insurance mandate) (9th Cir. reversed in part, vacated in part, and remanded to dist. ct. Aug. 19, 2020)
  • IVF – In re Pacific Fertility Ctr. Litig. (N.D. Cal. No. 3:18-cv-1586) (j. following jury verdict for pls. against Chart Indus. Aug. 13, 2021; second trial set for Apr. 11, 2022)

Colorado

No cases reported

Connecticut

No cases reported

Delaware

No cases reported

District of Columbia

Federal Appeals Court

  • First Amendment – Frederick Douglass Found., Inc. v. District of Columbia (D.C. Cir. No. 21-7108) (dist. ct. granted mot. to dismiss Sept. 1, 2021; appealed Oct. 6, 2021)

Florida

No cases reported

Georgia

Federal Appeals Court

  • Gestational limits – SisterSong Women of Color Reprod. Just. Collective v. Kemp (11th Cir. No. 20-13024) (heartbeat) (dist. ct. issued permanent inj.; 11th Cir. oral arg. held Sept. 24, 2021; stayed pending Dobbs)

Guam

Federal Court of Appeals

  • Chemical Abortion – Raidoo v. Camacho (9th Cir. No. 21-16559) (telemedicine) (dist. ct. granted prelim. inj. Sept. 7, 2021; appealed Sept. 22, 2021; stayed pending Dobbs)

Hawaii

Federal District Court

  • Chemical abortion – Chelius v. Wright (D. Haw. No. 1:17-cv-493) (stayed pending agency rev. until Dec. 1, 2021)

Idaho

Federal District Court

  • Physician only – Planned Parenthood of the Great Nw. & the Hawaiian Islands v. Wasden (D. Idaho No. 1:18-cv-555) (denied Wasden’s mot. for sum. j. Sept. 30, 2021)

Illinois

Federal District Court

  • Free speech – Nat’l Inst. of Family and Life Advocs. v. Rauner (N.D. Ill. No. 3:16-cv-50310) (anti-pregnancy ctr. law) (denied pls’ mot. to amend and mot. to certify for interlocutory appeal the ct.’s order den. pls’ mot. for sum. j. Mar. 29, 2021; case referred to magistrate for expert test. Mar. 29, 2021; status conf. held Aug. 11, 2021) 
  • Gestational limits – Braid v. Stilley (N.D. Ill. No. 1:21-cv-5283) (Tex. S.B. 8) (compl. for interpleader and declaratory j. filed Oct. 5, 2021; Def. Gomez’s mot. to dismiss filed Oct. 11, 2021; order granting interpleader Oct. 15, 2021)

Indiana

U.S. Supreme Court

  • Parental involvement – Box v. Planned Parenthood of Ind. & Ky. (No. 20-1375) (appl. of Hellerstedt analysis to parental involvement law) (cert. pet. filed Mar. 29, 2021; set for conf. June 24, 2021; apparently being held pending Dobbs) (amicus curiae brief on behalf of Americans United for Life)

Federal Court of Appeals

  • Abortion reporting – Planned Parenthood Great Nw., Haw., Alaska, Ind., Ky., Inc. v. Marion Cnty. Prosecutor (7th Cir. No. 20-2407) (prelim. inj. vacated and case remanded to dist. ct. Aug. 2, 2021; Planned Parenthood filed pet. for rehr’g en banc Sept. 14, 2021)
  • Omnibus – Whole Woman’s Health All. v. Rokita (7th Cir. Nos. 21-2573, 21-2480) (dist. ct. permanently enjoined certain provisions Aug. 10, 2021; 7th Cir. granted stay pending app. resol. Sept. 8, 2021)

Federal District Court 

  • Abortion clinic/provider regulations – All-Options, Inc. v. Att’y Gen. of Ind. (S.D. Ind. No. 1:21-cv-1231) (licensing) (granted prelim. inj. June 30, 2021; answer filed July 12, 2021)
  • Conscience rights – Irish 4 Reprod. Health v. U.S. Dep’t of Health and Human Servs. (N.D. Ind. No. 3:18-cv-491) (pro-choice challenge to Notre Dame’s exception to contraception mandate) (granted stay pending rulemaking Aug. 25, 2021)
  • Gestational limits – Bernard v. Individual Members of the Ind. Med. Licensing Bd. (S.D. Ind. 1:19-cv-1660) (dismemberment) (granted pls.’ mot. to continue trial, denied pls.’ mot. to stay all proceedings Sept. 15, 2021; joint status rep. due within two weeks of Dobbs decision) 

Iowa 

State Court

  • Abortion Funding – Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, Inc. v. Reynolds (Iowa No. 20-804) (sex education funds excluded abortion providers) (dist. ct. granted Planned Parenthood’s mot. for sum. j.; Iowa Sup. Ct. rev’d and remanded June 30, 2021)
  • Informed consent – Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, Inc. v. Reynolds (Iowa Dist. Ct. EQCV81855) (24-hour reflection period) (granted Planned Parenthood’s mot. for sum. j. and permanently enjoined the law June 21, 2021)

Kansas

State Court

  • Gestational limits – Hodes & Nauser v. Schmidt (Kan. Dist. Ct. No. 2015CV490) (dismemberment) (granted pls.’ mot. for summ. j. to permanently enjoin the law Apr. 7, 2021; appealed to Kans. Sup. Ct. July 6, 2021) 

Kentucky

U.S. Supreme Court

  • Gestational limits – Cameron v. EMW Women’s Surgical Ctr. (No. 20-601) (dismemberment) (6th Cir. aff’d permanent inj.; SCOTUS granted cert. on Cameron’s pet. Mar. 29, 2021; oral arg. held Oct. 12, 2021)

Federal District Court

  • Abortion clinic/provider regulations – EMW Women’s Surgical Ctr. v. Glisson (W.D. Ky. No. 3:17-cv-189) (transfer agreement) (Cameron’s mot. for sum. j. filed July 30, 2021; resp. br. held in abeyance pending ct. rev. of parties’ post-trial brs. Aug. 20, 2021)
  • Gestational limits/Prenatal non-discrimination – EMW Women’s Surgical Ctr. v. Meier (W.D. Ky. No. 3:19-cv-178) (heartbeat, sex, race, color, national origin, disability) (temporarily enjoined Mar. 15, 2019; answer to am. compl. filed Nov. 30, 2020)
  • First Amendment – Clark v. Bendapudi (W.D. Ky. No. 3:21-cv-00480) (free speech) (am. compl. filed Aug. 10, 2021)
  • Sidewalk counselors – Sisters for Life, Inc. v. Louisville-Jefferson Cnty. Metro Gov’t (W.D. Ky. No. 3:21-cv-367) (challenge to buffer zone law) (compl. filed June 6, 2021; denied TRO and prelim. inj. Sept. 3, 2021; denied mot. to dismiss for failure to state a claim Sept. 3, 2021)

Louisiana

Federal Court of Appeals

  • Abortion clinic/provider regulations – Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast v. Phillips (5th Cir. No. 18-30699) (clinic licensing) (dist. ct. order denied Phillips’ mot. to dismiss based on lack of subject matter jurisdiction; 5th Cir. aff’d in part, rev’d in part, and remanded July 15, 2021; Planned Parenthood filed pet. for rehr’g en banc Aug. 12, 2021)

Federal District Court

  • Abortion Funding – Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast v. Kliebert (M.D. La. No. 3:15-cv-565) (Medicaid) (case stayed pending outcome of 5th Cir. rehr’g en banc of Planned Parenthood of Greater Tex. v. Smith and the appeal in Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, Inc. v. Gee, (5th Cir.); order denying mot. to vacate the prelim. inj. Apr. 7, 2021)
  • “Minibus” challenge – June Medical Services v. Phillips (M.D. La. No. 3:14-cv-525) (challenging six laws) (renewed mot. for att’y fees Mar. 22, 2021)

State Court

  • Abortion clinic/provider regulations – June Med. Servs. v. La. Dep’t of Health (La. Dist. Ct. No. 657201) (clinic licensing) 

Maine

Federal Court of Appeals

Maryland

Federal Court of Appeals

  • Abortion funding – Planned Parenthood of Md., Inc. v. Becerra (4th Cir. No. 20-2006) (separate ins. billing for certain abortion servs.) (dist. ct. had granted Planned Parenthood’s mot. for sum. j.; 4th Cir. granted mot. to voluntarily dismiss appeal Sept. 28, 2021)

Federal District Court

  • Malpractice – Norris v. Carhart (D. Md. No. 8:21-cv-2437) (medical negligence, informed consent negligence) (compl. filed Sept. 23, 2021)

Massachusetts

No cases reported

Michigan

No cases reported

Minnesota

Federal District Court

  • Assisted Suicide– Final Exit Network, Inc. v. Stuart (D. Minn. No. 21-01235) (compl. filed May 17, 2021; Stuart filed mot. to dismiss July 16, 2021; mot. hr’g scheduled for Nov. 17, 2021)

Mississippi

U.S. Supreme Court

Federal District Court

  • Omnibus challenge– Jackson Women’s Health Org. v. Dobbs (S.D. Miss. No. 3:18-cv-171) (case stayed as of June 9, 2021)
  • Chemical abortion– GenBioPro, Inc. v. Dobbs (S.D. Miss. No. 3:20-cv-652) (generic Mifepristone mfr. suing state) (hr’g for mot. to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction Mar. 25, 2021)

Missouri

Federal Court of Appeals

  • Gestational limits – Reprod. Health Servs. of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region, Inc. v. Parson (8th Cir. Nos., 19-2882, 19-3134) (8-week, 14-week, 18-week, 20-week; Down syndrome) (dist. ct. partially granted [gestational limits] and partially denied [prenatal nondiscrimination provisions] prelim. inj. for Reprod. Health Servs.; dist. ct. granted mot. for recons. and modified prelim. inj. to include Down syndrome provision; 8th Cir. en banc oral arg. held Sept. 21, 2021)

Montana

State Court

  • “Minibus” challenge – Planned Parenthood of Mont. v. Montana (Mont. Dist. Ct. No. DV-21-00999) (20-week, chemical abortion, ultrasound viewing, fetal heart tone, insurance) (granted prelim. inj. Oct. 7, 2021) 

Nebraska

No cases reported

Nevada

No cases reported

New Hampshire

No cases reported

New Jersey

State Court

  • Assisted suicide – Petro v. Grewal (N.J. Superior Ct. App. Div. No. A-003837-19) (challenge to N.J. Medical Aid in Dying Law for the Terminally Ill Act) (trial ct. granted State’s mot. to dismiss for lack of standing and failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted Apr. 1, 2020; currently on appeal in the app. div.)

New Mexico

No cases reported

New York

Federal Court of Appeals

  • Conscience rights – New York v. U.S. Dep’t of Health & Human Servs. (2d Cir. Nos. 19-4254 [lead], 20-31, 20-32, 20-41) (HHS Conscience Protection Rule) (held in abeyance)
  • First Amendment – People of the State of N.Y. v. Griepp (2nd Cir. No. 18-2454) (aff’d the dist. ct.’s denial of a prelim. inj. and remanded for consideration on the merits Aug. 26, 2021; pet. for rehr’g en banc denied as moot Sept. 16, 2021)
  • First Amendment – The Ctr. for Med. Progress and David Daleiden v. Planned Parenthood Fed’n of Am. (2d Cir. No. 21-2068) (undercover videos) (dist. ct. granted Planned Parenthood’s mot. to dismiss Daleiden’s defamation suit for failure to state a claim July 27, 2021; Daleiden appealed Aug. 26, 2021)

Federal District Court

  • Reproductive Health Act – CompassCare, First Bible Baptist Church and NIFLA v. Cuomo (N.D. N.Y. No. 1:19-cv-1409) (conscience rights) (Cuomo filed mot. for summ. j. May 21, 2021; CompassCare filed cross-mot. for summ. j. May 21, 2021)
  • Reproductive Health Act – Smith v. Hochul (N.D. N.Y. No. 5:21-cv-35) (domestic violence, rights of viable unborn children) (interlocutory appeal re: next friend appointment filed Sept. 23, 2021)

North Carolina

Federal Court of Appeals

  • Gestational limits – Bryant v. Woodall (4th Cir. No. 19-1685) (20-week limit) (dist. ct. held statute unconst.; 4th Cir. aff’d June 23, 2021)

State Court

  • Omnibus challenge – Planned Parenthood South Atlantic v. Moore (N.C. Sup. Ct. No. 20-cvs-500147) (72-hour reflection period, clinic licensing, physician only, telehealth abortions, informed consent) (State filed mot. to dismiss Jan. 6, 2021)

North Dakota

Federal District Court

  • Informed consent/chemical abortion – American Medical Association v. Stenehjem (D. N.D. No. 1:19-cv-125) (abortion pill reversal) (bench trial set for May 1, 2023)

Ohio 

Federal District Court

  • Chemical abortion – Yost v. Planned Parenthood Sw. Ohio Region (S.D. Ohio No. 1:04-cv-493) (dismissed case without prejudice May 11, 2016, SCOTUS cert. pet. re: abortion provider standing and att’y fees denied July 2, 2020 [SCOTUS No. 19-677]; order re: att’y fees Sept. 15, 2020)
  • Gestational limits – Planned Parenthood Sw. Ohio Region v. Yost (S.D. Ohio No. 1:19-cv-118) (15-week) (prelim. inj. granted in part Apr. 18, 2019; stayed pending EMW Women’s Surgical Ctr. v. Cameron [SCOTUS No. 20-601])
  • Gestational limits – Preterm-Cleveland v. Att’y Gen. of Ohio (S.D. Ohio No. 1:19-cv-360) (heartbeat) (stayed pending final disposition of all appeals and pets. for cert. in Preterm-Cleveland v. Himes [6th Cir. No. 18-3329], and Memphis Ctr. for Reprod. Health v. Slatery [6th Cir. No. 20-5969])
  • Prenatal non-discrimination – Preterm-Cleveland v. Himes (S.D. Ohio No. 1:18-cv-109) (Down syndrome) (6th Cir. en banc rev’d the dist. ct.’s prelim. inj. Apr. 14, 2021 [6th Cir. No. 18-3329]; State filed mot. for j. on the pleadings May 27, 2021; Preterm filed cross-mot. for j. on the pleadings and mot. to stay June 17, 2021)

State Court

  • Fetal remains – Planned Parenthood Sw. Ohio Region v. Ohio Dep’t of Health (Ohio Ct. of Common Pleas No. D131562) (prelim. inj. granted Apr. 5, 2021)
  • Sidewalk counselors – State of Ohio, City of Cuyahoga Falls v. Whipple (Ohio Stow Mun. Ct. No. 2021CRB01439) (found guilty of criminal trespass after refusing to leave abortion clinic interior Aug. 5, 2021)
  • Telemedicine – Planned Parenthood Sw. Ohio Region v. Ohio Dep’t of Health (Ohio Ct. of Common Pleas No. A2101148) (prelim. inj. issued Apr. 19, 2021)

Oklahoma 

State Court

  • Chemical abortion – Tulsa Women’s Reprod. Ctr. v. Hunter (Okla. Dist. Ct. No. CV-2019-2176) (pill reversal) (dist. ct. granted unopposed mot. to expand temporary inj. Oct. 1, 2021)
  • Gestational limits/informed consent – Tulsa Women’s Reprod. Ctr. v. Hunter (Okla. No. 118292) (dismemberment, 72-hour reflection period) (dist. ct. upheld House Bills 1721 & 1409; granted temporary inj. pending appeal Nov. 4, 2019; in briefing schedule as of Aug. 11, 2021)
  • Minibus challenge – Oklahoma Call for Reprod. Justice v. O’Connor (Okla. Dist. Ct. No. CV-2021-2072) (heartbeat, licensing, physician-only, chemical abortion) (compl. filed Sept. 2, 2021; temporary inj. granted in part and denied in part Oct. 7, 2021)

Oregon

No cases reported 

Pennsylvania

State Court

  • Abortion funding – Allegheny Reprod. Health Ctr. v. Penn. Dep’t of Human Servs. (Penn. No. 26-MAP-2021) (Medicaid) (trial ct. ruled for State; Commonwealth Ct. aff’d; appealed to Penn. Sup. Ct.; Allegheny Reprod. Health Ctr.’s br. due Oct. 13, 2021; State’s br. due Nov. 12, 2021)

Rhode Island

State Court

  • Reproductive Privacy Act – Benson v. Raimondo (R.I. No. SU-2020-0066-A) (legislative authority to pass the Act) (trial ct. granted defs.’ mot. to dismiss; pending oral arg. in R.I. Sup. Ct.)

South Carolina

Federal Court of Appeals

  • Heartbeat – Planned Parenthood S. Atlantic v. Wilson (4th Cir. No. 21-1369) (dist. ct. issued prelim. inj. Mar. 19, 2021; currently in briefing schedule for 4th Cir.)

South Dakota

Federal Court of Appeals

  • Informed consent – Planned Parenthood Minn., N.D., S.D. v. Noem (8th Cir. No. 21-2922) (granted prelim. inj. June 30, 2011; dissolved prelim. inj. in part June 11, 2013; 6th am. compl. filed July 1, 2021; answers filed July 30, Aug. 13, & Aug. 17, 2021; ct. denied State’s mot. to dissolve what remains of prelim. inj. Aug. 20, 2021; state appealed Aug. 25, 2021; state’s br. due Nov.4, 2021)

Tennessee

Federal Court of Appeals

  • Gestational limits/prenatal non-discrimination – Memphis Ctr. for Reprod. Health v. Slatery (6th Cir. No. 20-5969) (heartbeat, cascading bans, sex, race, Down syndrome) (6th Cir. aff’d prelim. inj.; Slatery filed pet. for rehr’g en banc Sep. 23, 2021)
  • Informed Consent – Bristol Reg’l Women’s Ctr v. Slatery (6th Cir. No. 20-6267) (reflection period) (dist. ct. held the law was unconst.; en banc panel rev’d and remanded Aug. 5, 2021)

Federal District Court

  • Abortion pill reversal – Planned Parenthood of Tenn. and N. Miss. v. Slatery (M.D. Tenn. No. 3:20-cv-00740) (abortion pill reversal, informed consent) (prelim. inj. granted Feb. 26, 2021; bench trial set for Oct. 11, 2022)

Texas

Federal Court of Appeals

  • Gestational limits – Whole Woman’s Health v. Paxton (5th Cir. No. 17-51060) (dismemberment) (dist. ct. issued permanent inj.; 5th Cir. en banc vacated the inj., and rev’d and rendered j. in the State’s favor Aug. 18, 2021)
  • Fetal remains – Whole Woman’s Health v. Young (5th Cir. No. 18-50730) (oral arg. held Sept. 5, 2019; pending decision)
  • Gestational limits – United States of America v. Texas (5th Cir. No. 21-50949) (S.B. 8) (lead case) (dist ct. granted prelim. inj. Oct. 6, 2021; appealed Oct. 7, 2021; granted Texas’s mot. to stay prelim. inj. pending appeal Oct. 14, 2021; oral arg. tentatively set for week of Dec. 6, 2021; Just. Dep’t announced intent to file appl. for inj. relief in SCOTUS Oct. 15, 2021)
  • Gestational limits – Whole Women’s Health v. Jackson (5th Cir. No. 21-50792) (S.B. 8) (consolidated with No. 21-50949) (5th Cir. denied mots. for inj. pending appeal and to lift stays Aug. 29, 2021; SCOTUS denied appl. for inj. relief Sept. 1, 2021; oral arg. tentatively set for week of Dec. 6, 2021)

Federal District Court 

  • Omnibus challenge – Whole Woman’s Health Alliance v. Paxton (W.D. Tex. No. 1:18-cv-500) (licensing, chemical abortion, informed consent, parental involvement, criminal penalties, Medicaid) (Defs.’ mots. to dismiss filed Aug 27, Oct. 10, 2018; stay pending June Med. Servs.; decision lifted July 23, 2020; currently awaiting decision on mots. to dismiss)
  • Title X – Deanda v. Becerra (N.D. Tex. No. 2:20-cv-92) (jury trial set for Nov. 2, 2021)

State Court 

  • Abortion funding – Zimmerman v. City of Austin (Tex. App. No. 08-20-00039-CV) (taxpayer challenge to ordinance allocating public funds to abortion-assistance organizations) (trial court dismissed for lack of jurisdiction; ct. of appeals aff’d Mar. 17, 2021)
  • Gestational limits – In re Texas Heartbeat Act Litig. (Tex. Multidist. Litig. Panel No. 21-0782) (S.B. 8) (stayed proceedings in trial ct. cases pending further order of Multidistrict Litig. Panel Sept. 23, 2021; granted Tex. Right to Life’s mot. to transfer fourteen cases to Multidist. Litig. Panel Oct. 14, 2021)

Utah

Federal District Court

  • Gestational limits – Planned Parenthood Assoc. of Utah v. Miner (D. Utah No. 2:19-cv-238) (18-week) (granted prelim. inj. May 13, 2019; stayed pending Dobbs)

Vermont

No cases reported

Virginia

No cases reported

Washington

Federal Court of Appeals

  • Conscience rights – Cedar Park Assembly of God of Kirkland, Wash. v. Kreidler (9th Cir. No. 20-35507) (ins. coverage of abortion) (dist. ct. dismissed for lack of standing; 9th Cir. aff’d in part, rev’d in part July 22, 2021)
  • Abortion funding – Washington v. Azar (9th Cir. No. 20-35521) (separate ins. billing) (Azar filed unopposed voluntary mot. to dismiss Sept. 27, 2021)
  • Conscience rights – Washington v. Azar (9th Cir. No. 20-35044) (consolidated with No. 20-16045 [listed under Cal. above]) (status rep. filed Oct. 1, 2021)

State Court 

  • First Amendment – Planned Parenthood of Greater Wash. and N. Idaho v. Covenant Church & Covenant Christian School (Idaho Super. Ct. No. 202017030) (Free speech) (permanent inj. issued Sept. 22, 2021)

West Virginia 

No cases reported

Wisconsin

Federal District Court

  • Chemical Abortion: Planned Parenthood of Wis. v. Kaul (W.D. Wis. No. 3:19-cv-38) (physician-only, same physician must examine and prescribe pill, telemedicine ban) (bench trial held Dec. 7-10, 2020)

Wyoming

No cases reported

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