• Economy
  • Editor’s Pick
Money Rise Today – Investing and Stock News
  • Investing
  • Stock
Editor's Pick

SCOTUS turns down abortion clinic buffer zone challenge, Thomas slams ‘abdication’ of duty

by February 24, 2025
written by February 24, 2025

The U.S. Supreme Court declined Monday to hear a pro-life challenge against protest restrictions around abortion clinics in Illinois, as activists argued the laws infringe on their First Amendment rights, a decision met with a fiery dissent by Justice Clarence Thomas.

The court rejected appeals from Coalition Life, which describes itself as ‘America’s Largest Professional Sidewalk Counseling Organization’ in New Jersey and Illinois, which had challenged previous lower court rulings that dismissed their lawsuits. 

Pro-life activists in the case argued that ‘buffer zones’ – which were established after a previous Supreme Court decision in Colorado to shield patients from harassment – around abortion clinics violate their First Amendment rights to free speech.

Thomas and fellow conservative Justice Samuel Alito dissented, with Thomas arguing SCOTUS should have taken up the case, Coalition Life v. City of Carbondale, Illinois. Alito did not explain his reasoning in writing.

The votes of four justices are required to grant a writ of certiorari to bring a case up for review.

Thomas said Hill v. Colorado ‘has been seriously undermined, if not completely eroded, and our refusal to provide clarity is an abdication of our judicial duty.’ He added that he would’ve used the Coalition Life case to override the Hill decision.

‘This case would have allowed us to provide needed clarity to lower courts,’ Thomas wrote in his dissent.

In that case, decided in 2000, the Supreme Court upheld a Colorado statute that prohibited individuals from ‘knowingly’ approaching within eight feet of another person within 100 feet of a healthcare facility entrance, without consent, for purposes such as passing out literature, displaying signs, or engaging in oral protest, education, or counseling. 

The court determined this law was a content-neutral regulation of the time, place and manner of speech, serving the state’s interest in protecting individuals entering healthcare facilities from unwanted communication. The decision was 6-3, with Justices Thomas, Antonin Scalia and Anthony Kennedy dissenting.

The City of Carbondale, in southern Illinois, saw an uptick in pro-life protests after two clinics opened following the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. As such, the city passed ordinances modeled after Colorado’s statutes.

Urging the court to revisit the Hill precedent, Thomas quoted from an excerpt in Alito’s majority opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Center – the case that overturned Roe v. Wade – where he noted that abortion-related cases on other legal precedents had ‘distorted First Amendment doctrines.’

One key case that followed Hill v. Colorado is McCullen v. Coakley, where the Supreme Court ruled in 2014 on a Massachusetts law that established a 35-foot buffer zone around abortion clinics. The high court found that while the state had a legitimate interest in protecting patients and staff from harassment, the law was overly broad, included too much space and infringed on free speech rights.

The court struck down the law, distinguishing it from the Hill decision.

In 2019, New York upheld a 15-foot buffer zone law outside of clinics, and similar laws have been debated in states like California, Maryland and Washington.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Coalition Life for comment. 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
0 comment
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail

previous post
France’s Macron meets with Trump at the White House
next post
DOGE, EPA team up to claw back $67 million in ‘environmental justice’ grants

related articles

Trump DOJ to begin handing over Epstein files...

August 22, 2025

TikTok isn’t enough to stop Gen Z from...

August 22, 2025

Trump administration wins Supreme Court fight to slash...

August 22, 2025

Zelenskyy seeks ‘strong reaction’ from US if Putin...

August 22, 2025

Pentagon unveils new medal for troops deployed in...

August 21, 2025

Federal judge rules Trump appointee Alina Habba is...

August 21, 2025

‘Maine’s Mamdani’: Maine GOP chief issues warning about...

August 21, 2025

‘There are 50 swamps’: State Freedom Caucus Network...

August 21, 2025

Trump-aligned legal group probes Biden-era organ transplant program...

August 21, 2025

NATO defense chiefs stress commitment to Ukraine, discuss...

August 21, 2025
Enter Your Information Below To Receive Free Trading Ideas, Latest News, And Articles.


Your information is secure and your privacy is protected. By opting in you agree to receive emails from us. Remember that you can opt-out any time, we hate spam too!

Latest News

  • Iran vows retaliation if UN Security Council issues snapback sanctions on anniversary of nuclear deal

    July 14, 2025
  • Trump admin cracks down on groups tied to Iran targeting US citizens, sanctions Iranian-linked Swedish gang

    March 14, 2025
  • AMD CEO calls China a ‘large opportunity’ and warns against strict U.S. chip controls

    May 7, 2025
  • Expert warns UN’s role in AI regulation could lead to safety overreach

    October 5, 2024
  • NTSB grills Boeing execs on safety culture and retaliation allegations

    August 8, 2024

Popular Posts

  • 1

    Secret Service admits leaning on ‘state and local partners’ after claim it ignored Trump team’s past requests

    July 21, 2024
  • 2

    Five more House Democrats call on Biden to drop out, third US senator

    July 19, 2024
  • 3

    Elon and Vivek should tackle US funding for this boondoogle organization and score a multimillion dollar win

    December 4, 2024
  • 4

    Forex Profit Calculator: Maximize Your Trading Potential

    July 10, 2024
  • 5

    Biden calls to ‘lower the temperature’ then bashes Trump in NAACP speech

    July 17, 2024

Categories

  • Economy (829)
  • Editor's Pick (5,785)
  • Investing (634)
  • Stock (893)

Latest Posts

  • Dogecoin and Shiba Inu: Dogecoin has slowed its recovery

    August 14, 2024
  • FDA phasing out some animal testing in ‘win-win’ for ethics and public health: commissioner

    April 10, 2025
  • Ex-Pelosi aide accuses Hakeem Jeffries of ‘squandering’ anti-Trump opportunities in stunning rebuke

    May 2, 2025

Recent Posts

  • NBC ripped up its Olympics playbook for 2024 — so far, the new strategy paid off

    September 4, 2024
  • SoundHound stock surges 18% following acquisition of Amelia AI: Good time to buy?

    August 8, 2024
  • The president who couldn’t quit: Jimmy Carter’s foreign policy legacy goes beyond the White House

    January 7, 2025

Editor’s Pick

  • Trump says ‘we need Greenland for international safety and security’ ahead of Vance trip

    March 27, 2025
  • Biden continues vacation for second straight week despite saying he will ‘work like hell’ until end of term

    August 29, 2024
  • Meta ends fact-checking efforts as it aligns with incoming Trump administration

    January 7, 2025
  • About us
  • Contacts
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Disclaimer: moneyrisetoday.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

Copyright © 2025 moneyrisetoday.com | All Rights Reserved

Money Rise Today – Investing and Stock News
  • Economy
  • Editor’s Pick
Money Rise Today – Investing and Stock News
  • Investing
  • Stock