High Court Won't Hear Ariz. Abortion Ban Challenge
The U.S. Supreme Court won't hear a case challenging Arizona's 20-week abortion ban.
The decision leaves in place a lower court's ruling that struck down a law restricting most abortions after 20 weeks. Research shows children in the womb experience pain at that stage, or even sooner, and women can experience increased physical risk and psychological trauma from late-term abortions.
Last year, the lower court said the ban violates a long stream of Supreme Court rulings, starting with Roe V. Wade.
Alliance Defending Freedom expressed disappointment with the Supreme Court's decision.
"Every innocent life deserves to be protected. Not only did this law protect innocent children in the womb who experience horrific pain during a late-term abortion, it also protected mothers from the increased risk of physical harm and tremendous psychological consequences that come with late-term abortions," ADF Senior Counsel Steven H. Aden said in a statement Monday.
"New medical knowledge about the pain children can experience in the womb and the potential harms to women shouldn't be ignored in any civilized society," he said.
