Liberty Counsel Files Brief Supporting 159-Year-Old Arizona Abortion Law

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Liberty Counsel filed an amicus brief to the Arizona Supreme Court in Planned Parenthood Arizona v. Mayes where Planned Parenthood is challenging the potential reinstatement of the state's near-total abortion ban from 1864, which has exceptions for life-threatening emergencies, but had been blocked by 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

After Roe’s overturning in June of last year, an Arizona appeals court evaluated the Civil War-era ban and denied the law from retaking effect favoring a more recent and less restrictive 15-week ban currently in place. Liberty Counsel’s brief supports reinstating the original 1864 law.

In September 2022, the Arizona Superior Court appointed Dr. Eric Hazelrigg, an obstetrician and medical director of Choices Pregnancy Center in Arizona, as the “guardian ad litem” in this case where he can legally represent the best interests of unborn babies in the state. He has petitioned the Arizona Supreme Court to reverse the appeals court decision and reinstate the 1864 near-total abortion ban to protect unborn lives.