As summarized below, this is a case that can give more tools to pregnancy centers to fight the pro-abortion legal attacks to which they are subjected across the country.
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Here is an initial overview:
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Dec. 2 in a case the pro-life movement is watching closely. Although the case itself focuses on a technical question, the outcome has implications for the entire pregnancy help movement.
In First Choice Women’s Resource Centers v. Platkin, the justices will decide whether a federal court has the power to rule on the centers’ claim that New Jersey’s demand for information about its fundraising practices discouraged it from exercising its First Amendment rights, or whether the group must instead litigate that claim in state proceedings.
New Jersey Attorney General, Matthew Platkin issued a subpoena to First Choice to find out information about the group’s donors. First Choice went to federal court to challenge the subpoena, but the district court concluded it could not review the claims because only a state court has the power to enforce or quash a subpoena.
After a divided panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit upheld the district court’s ruling and dismissed the case, First Choice appealed to the Supreme Court, which granted review.
Erin Hawley, senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, said “The Constitution protects First Choice and its donors from unjustified demands to disclose their identities, and First Choice is entitled to vindicate those rights in federal court.”
If the Court rules against First Choice, pregnancy centers in Democrat-led states would face even more harassment from lawmakers who want to ensure that abortion is the only choice.