Unborn heartbeats heard at Ohio Supreme Court

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys filed a friend-of-the-court brief Monday with the Ohio Supreme Court on behalf of Cincinnati Right to Life and seven other pro-life organizations, urging the court to uphold the state’s fetal heartbeat law protecting the unborn.

In 2019, Ohio passed a law that protects unborn lives after a fetal heartbeat is detected. Abortionists in the state sued to halt enforcement of the law, and the state court of appeals granted that request. The state then appealed, and now the case, Preterm-Cleveland v. Yost, is before the Ohio Supreme Court.

“Ohio is eager to affirm that life is a human right, and, to that end, the state has enacted a pro-life law protecting that most fundamental of rights for babies,” said ADF Senior Counsel Denise Harle, director of the ADF Center for Life. “Pro-life laws like Ohio’s are also critical for protecting women’s health and ensuring they have the support they need during a difficult time. Every woman deserves access to real health care, not the dangerous and unnecessary procedures abortionists sell to make a profit. We urge the Ohio Supreme Court to uphold the state’s fetal heartbeat law that protects mothers and their unborn children.”

In their brief, ADF attorneys explain that “Abortion Providers have challenged th[e fetal heartbeat] law on behalf of potential clients—women who are not in this lawsuit but on whom they say they someday wish to perform abortions. Yet there is no constitutional right to perform elective abortions. Nor do the providers have standing to assert the rights of the women on whom they might perform abortions one day. And the people of Ohio have every right to protect unborn life, maternal health, and the integrity of the medical profession through the Heartbeat Law.” They filed the brief on behalf of Cincinnati Right to Life, The Justice Foundation, Center for Christian Virtue, Ohio Right to Life, Right to Life Action Coalition, Cleveland Right to Life, Greater Columbus Right to Life, and Students for Life of America.

ADF attorneys are working in many other states to defend pro-life laws:

• Arizona
• Florida
• Iowa
• Montana
• New Mexico
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Texas
• Utah
• West Virginia
• Wyoming

• Pronunciation guide: Harle (HAR'-lee)

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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