State Appeals Court Backs Teen In Abortion Notification Case

June 8, 2014

A state appeals court has approved a request by a 17-year-old high-school honors student to receive an abortion without her parents being notified, overturning a decision of a Hillsborough County circuit judge.

The rulingĀ  by the 2nd District Court of Appeal was the second case in a week stemming from a 2004 constitutional amendment that requires parents to be notified before their minor daughters can have abortions.

The voter-approved amendment and subsequent laws created a process for minors to go to court to seek to prevent notification, a process known as receiving a “waiver.” In Tuesday’s decision, the appeals court found that the teen, identified only as Jane Doe, had met her legal burden for receiving a waiver. It said a circuit judge disregarded the teen’s testimony that she had researched the abortion procedure and risks and also apparently discounted her testimony that she had considered alternatives.

“Jane Doe is almost 18-years old and a high school honors student,” said the appeals-court opinion, written by Judge Edward LaRose and joined by Judge Douglas Wallace. “She plans to attend college in the fall. She testified that her current condition would impact adversely her future plans. She also testified that her parents were strict, controlling, and demanding. At times they acted out of spite toward her. She feared that they would disown her if notified of her pregnancy.”

But Judge Anthony Black dissented, arguing that the case should be sent back to another circuit judge. A different panel of the 2nd District Court of Appeal last week upheld a circuit judge’s decision to deny a waiver for another pregnant teen.

by The News Service of Florida

Comments

14 Responses to “State Appeals Court Backs Teen In Abortion Notification Case”

  1. ugh on June 11th, 2014 12:28 pm

    So, because YOU dont believe in abortion, and because YOU would be upset because one of YOUR “grandchildren” were “killed” (notice all the “you”s in this??)…You would force your almost 18 year old honor student with a bright future, to be a mother before she’s mentally ready to? you’d force her to have this baby, because you wanted her to, and not take into account the fact that this will likely ruin all of her plans for the future?

    and you think thats “OK” because SHE made the decision to have sex, right? SHE did the deed, she should have to be responisble for her actions? So, which is it? is she old enough to make decisions on her own and pay for her actions? or is she too young to take responsibility of her own body and make decisions regarding her future?? You cant have it both ways.

  2. john on June 11th, 2014 6:50 am

    At what point does human life have value.

    I will only say this, if or when, this young girl has this abortion and later in life decides to have children she will get to relive that day at the clinic every day when she sees that one blank face that might have been when she watches her children play in the yard.

    We do reap what we sow ….every……single……time.

  3. Driven on June 11th, 2014 2:39 am

    “The students need a parents signature to go on a field trip to a museum but not to kill an unborn baby?”

    I about dropped my phone when i read this i was laughing so hard.

  4. JT on June 9th, 2014 10:31 pm

    Liberal Courts:
    Tater tots for lunch = evil.
    Abortions for kids = good.

  5. Billy Ray jr jr on June 9th, 2014 8:29 am

    The students need a parents signature to go on a field trip to a museum but not to kill an unborn baby?

  6. Willene on June 9th, 2014 7:09 am

    This is so sad giving permission to commit murder.

  7. Skulander on June 8th, 2014 10:47 pm

    Awesome!!! Teens deserve to be trusted with their bodies and their lives. Parents have no say in this decision, honestly. Those who want to control their daughter’s lives creep me out. I’m glad my parents wouldn’t have abused me in this way and would have let me make the best decision for me at that point in my life.

  8. mq on June 8th, 2014 9:57 pm

    “So, the parents are legally responsible until the child is 18 and considered an adult, but the child can go to court and deny the legally responsible parents the right to assist in the decision making for an abortion. Did I read this right?” by Confused. The parents only have “rights” when the government wants them to have them. Otherwise tough luck, and the gov’t will do what it wants. Sad but true. It would literally devastate me if one of my kids KILLED a grandchild of mine. It would be difficult at my age to raise a child, but I would DO it to let the child LIVE. YES people, abortion is MURDER.

  9. Anon on June 8th, 2014 7:47 pm

    @ JT agreed! and @ Makes Sense, it don’t make sense. The parents can’t be there all the time when they have a sneaky daughter who snuck out somewhere and got pregnant in the first place, then tries to go to an abortion clinic behind the their back. Not a good call.

  10. CC on June 8th, 2014 7:22 pm

    I think this is great! There are many young women out there who have come to their own conclusions about abortion and shouldn’t be forced to not have one just because their parents are religious and/or pro-life. That is why we are called Pro-CHOICE! Because only the pregnant person can make that choice.
    If the child is old enough to *get* pregnant without her parents’ permission, she’s old enough to *get rid of* the pregnancy without her parents’ permission.
    I’m glad that Jane Doe will get the abortion she feels she needs.

  11. Makes since? on June 8th, 2014 3:31 pm

    Makes no since, did u take your parent along with you when you Dicided to have sex? Parents can only try to teach you right and wrong.

  12. Makes Sense on June 8th, 2014 11:01 am

    Makes sense to me. Where are the parents when she is having sex and getting pregnant. Not there. Good call

  13. Confused on June 8th, 2014 6:15 am

    So, the parents are legally responsible until the child is 18 and considered an adult, but the child can go to court and deny the legally responsible parents the right to assist in the decision making for an abortion. Did I read this right?

  14. JT on June 8th, 2014 5:03 am

    If I found out any Dr. for any reason touched my daughter (especially for an abortion) without my permission there would be hell to pay. Parents are there to help children with these decisions in life for a reason.