NC lawmakers seek to shield pro-life laws in court

WHO: Alliance Defending Freedom attorney

WHAT: Available for media interviews following hearing in Planned Parenthood South Atlantic v. Stein

WHEN: Immediately following hearing, which begins at 9:30 a.m. EDT, Monday, Sept. 25

WHERE: U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, L. Richardson Preyer Courthouse, 324 W. Market St., Greensboro. To schedule an interview, contact ADF Media Relations Manager Bernadette Tasy at (480) 356-0324.

GREENSBORO, N.C. – An Alliance Defending Freedom attorney representing North Carolina Speaker of the House Tim Moore and North Carolina Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger in their efforts to defend the state’s pro-life laws will be available for media interviews Monday following oral arguments at the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina in Greensboro.

Speaker Moore and Sen. Berger, intervenors in the case Planned Parenthood South Atlantic v. Stein, filed an answer in July asking the court to uphold the state’s pro-life laws. In the pleading, ADF attorneys explained that the lawmakers are seeking the best interest of women and girls in the state, and that the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization allows duly enacted pro-life laws like North Carolina’s to stand.

“Abortion is not health care, and North Carolina is free to protect the health and safety of women and girls in the state,” said ADF Senior Counsel Erik Baptist, who will be arguing before the court on behalf of the lawmakers. “The General Assembly reasonably enacted commonsense protections for women undergoing chemical and surgical abortions. We urge the court to reject this challenge and give North Carolina women the dignity and respect that comes from receiving life-affirming health care—not the abortion industry’s false choice between doing what’s best for the mother and protecting the life of her child.”

Speaker Moore and Sen. Berger are asking the court to reject a challenge by abortionists and uphold North Carolina’s laws that promote the health and safety of women and children. Abortionists are challenging North Carolina’s amended pro-life laws, including the state’s requirement that doctors perform an ultrasound to screen for an ectopic pregnancy before distributing chemical abortion drugs and mandating that abortions be performed in a hospital after 12 weeks of pregnancy.

ADF attorneys have represented Moore and Berger in three other cases defending North Carolina’s pro-life laws: Bryant v. Stein, Bryant v. Woodall, and Planned Parenthood South Atlantic v. Moore.

Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.

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