(Washington, D.C.): Today, the United States Supreme Court issued its opinion in First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, Inc. v. Davenport, siding with First Choice in a unanimous, 9-0 decision. The Court held that “First Choice has established a present injury to its First Amendment associational rights sufficient to confer Article III standing.”
By ruling in favor of the pregnancy center organization, the court will allow First Choice to first challenge a subpoena served by the New Jersey Attorney General in federal court. In this case, First Choice sought review of the subpoena in federal court, seeking to vindicate the organization’s First Amendment right to serve women in need without suffering politically motivated searches.
Americans United for Life (AUL) previously submitted an amicus brief in this case, supporting First Choice.
John Mize, CEO of AUL, added, “Americans United for Life is hopeful this is the first step in an even greater victory for First Choice. Pregnancy centers provide essential social, and often medical, care to women with unexpected life circumstances and should not operate in fear of state officials wrongfully wielding the power of their offices against them. First Choice must be afforded the same First Amendment rights as any other organization, and today’s ruling begins to pave a path to that end.”
Carolyn McDonnell, Litigation Counsel for AUL, stated, “The Supreme Court recognizes that federal law guarantees a plaintiff may bring a First Amendment lawsuit in federal court. This is a great victory for First Choice and enables the pregnancy center to vindicate its First Amendment rights to speak and associate to advance its pro-life mission of supporting women and their families.”
For more information or to arrange an interview with AUL, contact Gavin Oxley at [email protected] or 202-987-3321.
Since 1971, Americans United for Life (AUL) has advanced the human right to life in culture, law, and policy by equipping advocates and lawmakers with the facts and strategies that change hearts and minds and protect human life. The first national pro-life organization in the country, AUL is a nonprofit, public-interest law and policy organization with a four-star rating from Charity Navigator.
