Catholic pro-life groups seek intervention in Michigan abortion lawsuit | National Catholic Register

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Pro-life and Catholic groups are seeking to intervene in a lawsuit brought by Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who has asked Michigan’s Supreme Court to declare abortion protected by the state constitution.

Pro-life and Catholic groups in Michigan are seeking to intervene in a lawsuit brought by Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who has asked the Michigan Supreme Court to declare abortion protected by the state constitution.

On behalf of Right to Life of Michigan and the Michigan Catholic Conference, faith-based legal organization Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) filed a motion Friday to intervene in the case. Whitmer v. Linderman.

“Every human life is precious and worthy of protection under the law,” John Bursch, ADF’s senior attorney and vice president of appellate advocacy, said in a press release. “Governor. Whitmer should do everything in his power to uphold existing laws that protect the innocent and vulnerable lives of unborn children.

“Instead, she and the attorney general are attacking a law that was rightly enacted by the people of Michigan and has served them well for more than half a century,” said Bursch, who served as solicitor general. of Michigan from 2011 to 2013. “We urge the court to heed the voices of those advocating for the unborn — Right to Life of Michigan and the Michigan Catholic Conference — by allowing them to intervene in this lawsuit.”

In his remarks, Bursch referred to another similar case called Planned Parenthood of Michigan v. Michigan State Attorney General. The ADF on Wednesday filed a proposed amicus curiae brief in the case for the same groups: Right to Life of Michigan and the Michigan Catholic Conference.

Both cases center on a 1931 state law that prohibits abortion except to save the life of the mother. The law has not been enforced since the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision, which legalized abortion nationwide, CNA previously reported.

According to Friday’s motion, the law in question, MCL 750.14, prohibits “deliberately administering[ing] to a pregnant woman any medicine, drug, substance or thing, or use any instrument or other means, with intent thereby to cause the miscarriage of such woman”, unless it is “necessary to preserve the life of [the] women.”

Whitmer’s lawsuit challenging that law comes after the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled in 1997 that there is no right to abortion in the state constitution.

Michigan’s governor has asked that the case be immediately reviewed by the Michigan Supreme Court rather than going through the trial court and appeals court, as is usually the case, the ADF said. The organization adds that the motion to intervene argues that Michigan Right to Life and the Michigan Catholic Conference should be given the opportunity to defend the state’s pro-life law.

Whitmer’s lawsuit attempt to strike down 91-year-old law comes ahead of potential U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe vs. Wade this year, adds ADF. The defendants listed in the case are the 13 county prosecutors in jurisdictions with abortion facilities.

ADF attorneys filed the motion with attorneys for Smith Appellate Law Firm and Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge.

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