22 Oct Mississippi Judge Rejects Anti-Abortion Lawsuit

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 17, 2024

Mississippi Judge Rejects Anti-Abortion Lawsuit

Mississippi – A judge in Mississippi has rejected a lawsuit brought by out-of-state anti-abortion extremists, who sought to overturn a 26-year-old Mississippi Supreme Court decision despite no indication that it affects them.

The case was filed in 2023 by the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists (AAPLOG), which argued that its members, who oppose abortion care and referrals, were injured by an alleged conflict between decades-old case law and the state’s abortion ban.

Six Mississippi women–represented by Democracy Forward, the Mississippi Center for Justice, and the Center for Reproductive Rights–intervened in the lawsuit to argue that the case should be dismissed because AAPLOG’s members had suffered no real-world injury. Chancellor Crystal Wise Martin of the Hinds County Chancery Court agreed and dismissed the lawsuit.

“Courts exist to decide real cases about real people’s rights, and not to indulge ideological agendas,” said Will Bardwell, a Mississippi native and Senior Counsel at Democracy Forward. “In this case, a group of out-of-state extremists tried to steamroll the most fundamental principles of law through a lawsuit built on imaginary fears. The Court rightly rejected that effort. We will continue to protect Mississippians against extremist attacks like this one.”

“We are pleased the Court agreed with our position and prevented this misuse of the justice system,” said Rob McDuff of the Mississippi Center for Justice.

The intervenors in the case are Lauren Allen, Lily Hemmins, Sarina Larson, Alexandra Melnick, Shira Muroff, and Nora Katz, Mississippi women who intervened in the case to insist that the plaintiffs and the state follow the rules required in bringing before the court only real controversies, not abstract questions.

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About the Mississippi Center for Justice:

The Mississippi Center for Justice is a nonprofit, public interest law firm committed to advancing racial, economic, and social justice statewide. Through partnerships with local communities, MCJ develops strategies to combat discrimination and poverty while empowering citizens to take control of their lives.