A “Monumental Victory” for Human Life

Supreme Court Upholds Ban on Partial-Birth Abortion

WASHINGTON, April 18, 2007—". . . the high court demonstrated that this gruesome procedure has no place in the medical community."
—Jay Sekulow, chief counsel, American Center for Law and Justice

In a 5-4 ruling today, the Supreme Court of the United States upheld the national ban on partial-birth abortion by agreeing with a lower court's decision on two controversial cases. The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) filed amicus briefs in both cases before the Supreme Court-including one on behalf of some 80 members of Congress and more than 320,000 Americans.
 
"This is a monumental victory for the preservation of human life," said Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the ACLJ, the nation's top conservative public interest law firm. "By rejecting the lawsuits challenging the national ban, the high court demonstrated that this gruesome procedure has no place in the medical community."
 
"We're delighted and encouraged that a majority of the high court determined that it was time to bring an end to what only can be described as infanticide," said Sekulow. "This decision represents an important shift in the ongoing battle to protect human life and represents a very significant pro-life victory in the abortion debate."
 
The 5-4 ruling came in the consolidated cases of Gonzales v. Carhart (05-380) and Gonzales v. Planned Parenthood (05-1382). The ACLJ, active in supporting the government's defense of the federal ban, filed a brief in the Nebraska case on behalf of some 80 members of Congress, along with more than 320,000 Americans. The ACLJ also filed a brief in the case out of California.
 
Led by Chief Counsel Jay Sekulow, the American Center for Law and Justice specializes in constitutional law, is based in Washington, and is online at www.aclj.org.

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