ACLU challenging Alabama abortion law allowing fetuses to have attorneys

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: Associated Press, via AL.com

By The Associated Press
on March 19, 2015 at 7:28 AM, updated March 19, 2015 at 7:29 AM

The American Civil Liberties Union on Wednesday asked a federal judge to block an Alabama law that allows a fetus to be represented in court when a minor is seeking judicial permission for an abortion.

While abortion opponents have rolled out a variety of new restrictions on abortion in recent years -- including new requirements on clinics and doctors -- ACLU staff attorney Andrew Beck said the Alabama law was unique. ... "This particular law is one of a kind," Beck said.

Alabama minors must have permission from their parents or a judge to have an abortion. Alabama legislators in 2014 changed the judicial permission process to allow a judge, at his or her discretion, to appoint a guardian ad litem "for the interests of the unborn child." The law also requires that local district attorneys are notified of the hearing and can question the minor and call witnesses.
....

"It puts teens on trial to get a constitutionally protected procedure. It's adversarial. She loses her anonymity because the district attorney or guardian ad litem can call in witnesses and interrogate the child," said Susan Watson, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama.

Read more: http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/03/aclu_challenging_alabama_abort.html#incart_river

[Dont call me Shirley]

1. What an asinine law, created by asinine people. I hope the ACLU wins.

"Alabama you've got the weight on your shoulder that's breaking your back." Neil Young

[Myrina]

2. When is this stupidity going to end?

OMFG.

[Tom Ripley]

3. Alabama: From the Antebellum to the Medieval

That is not progress

[father founding]

4. southern comfort

Cletus, whats up today? Uh nothing, lets open up that can of worms.

[yallerdawg]

5. This is the head-snapping Republican lunacy we endure.

The party that stands for smaller government and freedom from regulation, this has to be the most intrusive and egregious over-stepping of government authority perpetrated. The state forcing females to carry unwanted pregnancies to full term without the freedom of safe and legal choice reduces women's rights and freedoms to the level of cattle! I don't know how any woman could support this, how any man who has a mother, wife, and daughter could support this, or how any person who respects personal freedom and individual human rights could support this - not just in Alabama, but anywhere on earth!

[CaptainTruth]

35. Well said.

Government small enough to fit in a uterus.

Don't forget Jeb Bush & Terri Schaivo, they literally want to control your right to live & die & override your medical decisions.

[Geronimoe]

6. Another Judge trying to crawl inside and seek dominion over a women's vagina

Why fight the Taliban when we have these disgusting fundamentalist judges?

A fetus does not get US citizenship unless and until is it born. State birth certificates are not issued at inception, rather upon birth.

This judge likely wants to also appoint State Guardianship over sperm cells. Another right-wing authoritarian moron, that can't understand separation of State and his personal idiotic religious beliefs.

[Cryptoad]

7. Alabama Rethugs

have yet to grasp the concept of "personhood" as per the Constitution. The same concept that keeps a conservative court upholding the right of Abortions.

[old guy]

8. How do you call a fetus to testify?

[HockeyMom]

13. or consult with their attorney?

[CaptainTruth]

36. And doesn't a person have to give legal consent to be represented?

Even ignoring the fact that a fetus isn't legally a person, how would it indicate consent to representation?

Alabama is a very, very messed up place.

[brer cat]

9. The republicans will not be satisfied

until servitude for women is enshrined in law. Why does ANY woman ever vote for those neanderthals????

[awoke_in_2003]

24. Because Jeebus. nt

[valerief]

10. The older I get the more I hate these anti-abortion advocates.

You don't want an abortion? Don't have one. Leave everyone else alone.

Why don't they fight WAR as fervently as this bullshit?

We know why. The PTB want us fighting among ourselves. Divide and conquer.

[Telcontar]

17. Dont like slavery? Dont own one

Leave everyone else alone.

See how that looks? To understand their position, you must see it is just as moral an imperative to them. They see it as saving a child's life.

[PassingFair]

27. Is the slave INSIDE MY BODY?

Not the same thing at ALL.

They have no "moral imperative" over MY body.

[Telcontar]

28. You refuse to understand

And thus it continues to be a battlefield in the culture wars; neither sude grants any legitimacy to the other point of view.

[PassingFair]

30. I understand.

I understand their point of view.

I just don't give legitimacy to their claims of ownership and determination over my body.

OR a slave.

[awoke_in_2003]

25. Yep...

and that is why politicians on both sides of the aisle never, ever, seem to fix what they deem to be problems. If you don't have hot button issues to stir people up with then how do you get re-elected? They want us fighting amongst ourselves so we don't realize that 90% of the people in congress are there for one reason only- to make themselves richer. Once the cameras are off, Boehner and Pelosi are probably the best of buddies, and laugh at us over drinks at the end of the day.

[malthaussen]

11. You ever notice the GOP wants everyone to be people...

... except people?

-- Mal

[vlyons]

12. Let's have a law that requires legislators voting and/or proposing anti-abortion

laws be required to adopt the children born from unwanted pregnancies. They're assholes, and slut-shamers, and hypocrites, and just generally nasty mean-spirited people.

[niyad]

15. nah, you don't want them adopting the children they force to be born. what should happen

is that each of them has to sign documents affirming full financial responsibility for all the womenn and the children they force to be born from the pregnancy until that child is 22 or graduates from college, whichever comes later.

put THEIR money where their mouths are.

[PassingFair]

31. That would be great news for the exorcism industry.

And the "re-homing" kiddie porn/rape business!!

[uppityperson]

14. What a stupid law. "interests of the unborn child" rate above that of the living breathing one?

aside from mandating parental notification which is asinine, there is no need for all that involvement and loss of anonymity. Yes, pregnant teens may need help for dealing with a not good situation, but to mandate all this for everyone is stupid.

[lark]

16. Is there any action too low for the state of AL to take in it's quest to control all women?

Hell no, they hate us and the very idea of us having the freedom to choose not to have some man's baby, whether or not he's involved with the actual child being totally irrelevant to them. Heck, I won't even drive through the south anymore, had too many issues back when I was travelling with 2 long haired guys and a Chinese woman back in 1980. The hatred was palpable and scary and this state doesn't seem to have progressed any at all since then, though most of the rest of the nation has moved forward.

[MisterP]

18. what about BEING attorneys?

[blkmusclmachine]

19. WTF?!?!

[jmowreader]

20. The district attorney part REALLY concerns me

Alabama has a 20-week abortion ban. Even My Cousin Vinny could figure out how to get an abortion case continued until the defendant has been pregnant for 21 weeks.

[Judi Lynn]

22. How can Alabama legislators even stand to be around each other? God, they are creepy. n/t

[awoke_in_2003]

23. If I ever win the lottery...

I am getting the hell out of this country, and taking my grandchildren with me. The insanity is just getting worse and worse.

[azureblue]

26. The Bible makes it clear

that the newborn is not a person until it is baptized. But they ignore that part.... Too.

[Telcontar]

32. Citation please

I can't find that in my bible

[Panich52]

29. Guess they like having a state full of teen mothers. One way to keep them from getting a higher

education or finding a job.

[KansDem]

37. No coincidence then that WalMart is Alabama's largest employer?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026398222

[kiranon]

33. Wait til the fetus brings a malpractice claim.

Can the fetus be charged with manslaughter if the mom to be or not to be dies? Will the fetus be given an eviction notice? Be charged rent? False representation? Invasion of privacy? Battery when it's little fist or foot punches at the mom from within? Will the child be born with bad credit when it doesn't pay for the attorney's services in utero? At a minimum, in all cases, there would be ineffective assistance of counsel - failure to communicate with the client and get the client's permission for attorney to proceed.

[azurnoir]

34. Fetus's have lawyers?

is this pro bono work or do they schedule future billing?