Justice Dept. Loses Fight for Abortion Records
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals Friday rejected the Justice Department's attempt to obtain hospital abortion records. The ruling was based on the womens' right to privacy in their records.
The decision, by the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, in Chicago, was the first time an appeals court has weighed in on the politically charged question of whether the federal government has a right to demand abortion records in its defense of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act. The ruling followed conflicting opinions from several trial courts around the country.
The Justice Department has been subpoenaing the records in various locations around the country. Next week, challenges are set to be heard in New York City, San Francisco and Lincoln, Nebraska.
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