Americans United for Life is pleased to share our 2021 Q4 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 goal of the report is to provide you with a useful resource, in addition to AUL’s expertise, on legal and policy issues affecting Life. Here are some highlights of the Report: 

Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization

Oral arguments occurred before the Supreme Court in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization on December 1, 2021.  Dobbs is primed to discard the arbitrary viability line from Casey’s undue burden standard, and possibly overrule the purported abortion right the Supreme Court manufactured in Roe v. Wade. Notably, many lower courts are holding abortion cases in abeyance pending the Dobbs decision. 

Texas Heartbeat Act Remains In Effect After Supreme Court Challenge

The Supreme Court allowed Texas’ Heartbeat Act (S.B. 8) to remain in effect in Whole Woman’s Health v. Jackson and United States v. Texas. In Van Stean v. Texas Right to Life, however, a Texas state court determined S.B. 8 was unconstitutional because of its standing for uninjured persons, punishment without due process, and delegation of executive power to private persons. 

Additional Litigation Updates In Significant Pro-Life Cases

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights stripped away infant legal protections in Manuela v. El Salvador. The court ordered El Salvador to lower infanticide penalties and pass regulations prohibiting doctors from reporting potential infanticide cases. 

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is considering whether the State must publicly fund abortions in Allegheny Reproductive Health Center v. Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. The abortion clinic has urged the court to craft a state constitutional right to abortion. 

A South Dakota anti-coercion statute directing women to receive neutral informed consent counseling from a state-approved registered pregnancy help center before obtaining an abortion is now before the Eighth Circuit in Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota v. Noem. 

Following a strong pro-life Sixth Circuit en banc decision, judgment was entered in favor of Tennessee’s forty-eight-hour reflection period law in Bristol Regional Women’s Center v. Slatery. 

Please reach out if you have any questions regarding the Report or a specific case.

Alabama

Federal Court of Appeals

  • Parental involvement – Reprod. Health Servs. v. Bailey (11th Cir. No. 17-13561) (notice) (aff’d 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)

State Court

  • Medical malpractice – Stone v. W. Ala. Women’s Ctr., Inc. (Ala. Cir. Ct. No. 63-CV-2021-900997.00) (compl. filed Nov. 11, 2021)

Alaska

State Court

Chemical abortion – Planned Parenthood Great Nw., Haw., Ala., Ind., Ky. v. State of Alaska (Alaska Super. Ct. No. 3AN-19-11710CI) (physician-only) (granted prelim. inj. Nov. 2, 2021)

Arizona

U.S. Supreme Court

  • Prenatal non-discrimination – Brnovich v. Isaacson (No. 21A222) (disability) (prelim. inj. granted in part and denied in part Sept. 28, 2021; 9th Cir. denied mot. for a partial stay of prelim. inj. Nov. 26, 2021; State’s appl. to SCOTUS for a stay pending appeal Dec. 10, 2021)

Arkansas

U.S. Supreme Court

  • Gestational limits/health and safety/prenatal non-discrimination –Little Rock Fam. Planning Servs. v. Rutledge (No. 20-1434) (18-week limit, physician-only rule, Down syndrome) (8th Cir. aff’d prelim. inj. Jan. 5, 2021; cert. pet. filed Apr. 14, 2021 on Down syndrome issue only; distributed for conf. 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. forrehr’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 Nov. 23, 2021; joint update due Jan. 21, 2022)

California

Federal Court of Appeals

Federal District Court

  • Assisted suicide – Shavelson v. Cal. Dep’t of Health (N.D. Cal. No. 3:21-cv-6654) (Americans with Disabilities Act challenge to expand End of Life Option Act) (am. compl. filed Nov. 12, 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; status rep. filed Oct. 29, 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; suppl. brs. in supp. of cross-mots. for summ. j. due Feb. 2, 2022;)


Colorado
No cases reported

Connecticut
No cases reported

Delaware

No cases reported

District of Columbia

Federal Appeals Court

  • Free Speech – 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; appellants’ br. due Jan. 18, 2022)

Florida

State Court

  • Informed consent – Gainsville Woman Care, LLC v. State of Fla. (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. No. 2015-CA-1323) (24-hour reflection period) (scheduled for trial Apr. 4, 2022).

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. Becerra (D. Haw. No. 1:17-cv-493) (stayed pending agency rev.; status rep. filed Nov. 3, 2021)

Idaho

Federal District Court

  • Health and safety – Planned Parenthood of the Great Nw. & the Hawaiian Islands v. Wasden (D. Idaho No. 1:18-cv-555) (physician-only rule) (denied Wasden’s mot. for sum. j. Sept. 30, 2021; stayed pending Dobbs)

Illinois

Federal District Court

  • Free speech –Nat’l Inst. of Fam. 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 Nov. 29, 2021)
  • Gestational limits – Braid v. Stilley (N.D. Ill. No. 1:21-cv-5283) (Tex. S.B. 8 heartbeat law) (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; Def. Stilley’s countercl. filed Nov. 7, 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

  • 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; oral arg. set for Jan. 12, 2022)

Federal District Court

  • Abortion reporting –Planned Parenthood Great Nw., Haw., Alaska, Ind., Ky., Inc. v. Marion Cnty. Prosecutor (S.D. Ind. No. 1:18-cv-1219) (7th Cir. rev’d sum. j. in favor of Planned Parenthood and remanded to dist. ct. Aug. 2, 2021; Planned Parenthood’s pet. for rehr’g en banc denied Oct. 20, 2021; mot. for prelim. inj. Nov. 1, 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; status rep. filed Nov. 17, 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) 
  • Health and safety – All-Options, Inc. v. Att’y Gen. of Ind. (S.D. Ind. No. 1:21-cv-1231) (clinic licensing) (granted prelim. inj. June 30, 2021; answer filed July 12, 2021; initial disclosures filed Oct. 18, 2021)

State Court

  • Conscience rights – Rojas v. Martell (Ill. Cir. Ct. No. 2016-L-160) (nurse forced out of job due to abortion and contraception conscientious objections) (ruled in favor of nurse Oct. 25, 2021)

 Iowa

State Court

  • Abortion funding – Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, Inc. v. Reynolds (Iowa Dist. Ct. No. EQCE084508) (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; denied Planned Parenthood’s mot. for summ. j. Sept. 10, 2021; granted State’s mot. for summ. j. Sept. 10, 2021)
  • Informed consent – Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, Inc. v. Reynolds (Iowa No. 21-0856) (24-hour reflection period) (trial ct. granted Planned Parenthood’s mot. for sum. j. and permanently enjoined the law June 21, 2021; completed briefing and awaiting oral arg. schedule as of Dec. 15, 2021)

Kansas


State Court

  • Gestational limits – Hodes & Nauser v. Schmidt (Kan. No. 124130) (dismemberment) (granted pls.’ mot. for summ. j. to permanently enjoin the law Apr. 7, 2021; appealed to Kans. Sup. Ct. July 6, 2021; appellants’ br. due Dec. 20, 2021)

Kentucky

U.S. Supreme Court

  • 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

  • Gestational limits/Prenatal non-discrimination – EMW Women’s Surgical Ctr. v. Friedlander (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; pls.’ mot. to stay proceedings Nov. 19, 2021)
  • Health and safety – EMW Women’s Surgical Ctr. v. Friedlander (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)
  • First Amendment – Clark v. Bendapudi (W.D. Ky. No. 3:21-cv-480) (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) (second am. compl. filed Dec. 8, 2021)

Louisiana

Federal Court of Appeals

  • Health and safety – 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. Phillips (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. Russo (M.D. La. No. 3:14-cv-525) (challenging six laws) (renewed mot. for att’y fees Mar. 22, 2021)

Maine

Federal Court of Appeals

Maryland

Federal District Court

  • Malpractice – Norris v. Carhart (D. Md. No. 8:21-cv-2437) (med. negligence, informed consent negligence) (compl. filed Sept. 23, 2021; stipulated dismissal Nov. 17, 2021)

Massachusetts

No cases reported

Michigan

No cases reported

Minnesota

Federal District Court

  • Assisted Suicide–Final Exit Network, Inc. v. Stuart (D. Minn. No. 0:21-cv-01235) (compl. filed May 17, 2021; Stuart filed mot. to dismiss July 16, 2021; Stuart’s mot. to dismiss argued and taken under ct.’s advisement 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) (stayed pending Dobbs)
  • 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

  • – 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) (amicus curiae brief on behalf of Americans United for Life)

Montana

State Court

  • 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

  • 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

Supreme Court

  • Conscience rights – Diocese of Albany v. Emami (No. 20-1501) (conscientious objection to mandatory insurance coverage of “medically necessary abortions) (SCOTUS granted, vacated, and remanded in light of Fulton v. Philadelphia Nov. 1, 2021)

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 pending rulemaking; status rep. filed Dec. 8, 2021)
  • Free Speech – 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; currently in 2d Cir. briefing)

Federal District Court

  • 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) (granted in part, denied in part mot. to dismiss Oct. 26, 2021)
  • Sidewalk counselors – People of the State of N.Y. v. Griepp (E.D. N.Y. No. 1:17-cv-03706) (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; voluntarily dismissed Nov. 22, 2021)

North Carolina

Federal Court of Appeals

  • – 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

  • Planned Parenthood S. Atl. v. Moore (N.C. Super. Ct. No. 20-cvs-500147) (72-hour reflection period, clinic licensing, physician-only rule, telehealth abortions, informed consent) (denied mot. to dismiss May 28, 2021)

North Dakota

Federal District Court

  • Informed consent/chemical abortion – Am. Med. Ass’n v. Stenehjem (D. N.D. No. 1:19-cv-125) (abortion pill reversal) (bench trial set for May 1, 2023)

Ohio

Federal District Court

  • Abortion funding – State of Ohio v. Becerra (S.D. Ohio No. 1:21-cv-675) (pro-life challenge that HHS’ final rule violates Title X) (filed compl. Oct. 25, 2021; mot. for prelim. inj. Oct. 25, 2021)
  • 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 Cameron v. EMW Women’s Surgical Ctr. [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. A2100870) (prelim. inj. granted Apr. 5, 2021; answer filed May 10, 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; denied mot. to dismiss Sept. 13, 2021; answer filed Dec. 1, 2021)

Oklahoma

State Court

  • Chemical abortion – Tulsa Women’s Reprod. Clinic 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. Clinic 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; completed briefing and awaiting oral argument as of Dec. 16, 2021)
  • “Minibus” challenge – Oklahoma Call for Reprod. Just. v. O’Connor (Okla. 119918) (heartbeat, licensing, physician-only rule, chemical abortion) (temporary inj. granted in part and denied in part Oct. 7, 2021; abortion clinic appealed Oct. 7, 2021; Okla. Sup. Ct. granted abortion clinic’s emergency mot. for a temporary inj. pending appeal Oct. 15, 2021; currently in briefing)

Oregon

No cases reported

Pennsylvania

      State Court

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; R.I. Sup. Ct. oral arg. set for Jan. 27, 2022)

South Carolina

Federal Court of Appeals

  • Gestational limits – Planned Parenthood S. Atl. v. Wilson (4th Cir. No. 21-1369) (heartbeat) (dist. ct. issued prelim. inj. Mar. 19, 2021; tentatively calendared for Jan. 25-28, 2021 oral arg. schedule)

South Dakota

Federal Court of Appeals

Tennessee

Federal Court of Appeals

  • 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’s pet. for rehr’g en banc granted Dec. 1, 2021; briefing schedule to be set at a later time; State’s mot. to stay inj. pending appeal filed Dec. 3, 2021)

Federal District Court

  • 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)
  • Informed Consent – Bristol Reg’l Women’s Ctr v. Slatery (M.D. Tenn. No. 3:20-cv-00501) (reflection period) (dist. ct. held the law was unconst.; en banc panel rev’d and remanded Aug. 5, 2021; dist. ct. entered j. in favor of State Dec. 14, 2021)

Texas

Supreme Court

  • Gestational limits – Whole Women’s Health v. Jackson (No. 21-463) (S.B. 8 heartbeat law) (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; SCOTUS aff’d in part, rev’d in part, and remanded Dec. 10, 2021)
  • Gestational limits – United States of America v. Texas (5th Cir. No. 21-588) (S.B. 8 heartbeat law) (dist ct. granted prelim. inj. Oct. 6, 2021; appealed Oct. 7, 2021; 5th Cir. granted Texas’s mot. to stay prelim. inj. pending appeal Oct. 14, 2021; SCOTUS dismissed writ of cert. as improvidently granted Dec. 10, 2021)

Federal Court of Appeals

  • Fetal remains – Whole Woman’s Health v. Young (5th Cir. No. 18-50730) (oral arg. held Sept. 5, 2019; pending decision)

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.;decisionlifted July 23, 2020; currently awaiting decision on mots. to dismiss)
  • Parental involvement – Deanda v. Becerra (N.D. Tex. No. 2:20-cv-92) (Title X funds allegedly violate Tex. Fam. Code and parental rights) (granted joint mot. to continue all pretrial and trial deadlines pending resol. of dispositive mots. Sept. 28, 2021)

State Court

  • Gestational limits – Van Stean v. Tex. Right to Life (Tex. Dist. Ct. No. D-1-GN-21-004179) (S.B. 8 heartbeat law) (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; order declaring certain civ. pros. unconst. and issuing declaratory j. Dec. 9, 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

  • 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]) (held in abeyance; status rep. filed Nov. 30, 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, telemedicine) (bench trial held Dec. 7-10, 2020)

Wyoming

No cases reported

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