DeepSummary
The episode discusses a recent Supreme Court unanimous decision regarding the continued legal status of the abortion pill mifepristone. The case was brought by a group of anti-abortion doctors and dentists who claimed that the FDA's approval of mifepristone violated their rights, as they could potentially have to treat patients who had taken the drug. However, the Supreme Court ruled that the plaintiffs lacked standing to bring the case.
Mark Joseph Stern provides background on the case, explaining that the plaintiffs were a group called Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, organized by the conservative Christian legal group Alliance Defending Freedom. They filed their case in a federal court in Texas known for its conservative judges, hoping to get a favorable ruling. Although their claims were seen as ludicrous, the lower courts initially sided with the plaintiffs before the Supreme Court unanimously overturned those decisions.
While the Supreme Court's decision maintains the status quo for now, Stern warns that the case is not necessarily over and that the Court's opinion may have opened the door for further challenges to abortion rights. Additionally, other threats to medication abortion, such as the Comstock Act, still loom.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- The Supreme Court unanimously ruled to maintain the legal status of the abortion pill mifepristone.
- The case was brought by an anti-abortion group using dubious legal claims about doctors' rights being violated.
- While a victory, the Court's decision may have opened the door for future challenges to abortion rights.
- Other threats to medication abortion access, like the Comstock Act, still remain.
- The hosts express concern that the current Supreme Court's rulings are driven more by ideology than legal merits.
- Mifepristone is considered a very safe drug supported by decades of clinical research.
- The case highlights the conservative legal movement's persistent efforts to restrict abortion access.
- Even positive rulings from the Court must be viewed skeptically given its current ideological bent.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “The blunt in the elevator is that yes, the Supreme Court finally tossed out this ridiculous lawsuit that dragged on for way too long. The skunk in the elevator is that this is not the end even of this case.“ by Mark Joseph Stern
- “This case has both the skunk in the elevator and the blunt in the elevator. Same smell, different causes.“ by Mark Joseph Stern
- “Mifepristone, the abortion drug documented to be safer than Tylenol or Viagra, with decades, decades of clinical study both here and around the world to back that up, will continue to be licensed by the FDA for use in a two step regimen to terminate pregnancy.“ by Dahlia Lithwick
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Episode Information
Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts
Slate Podcasts
6/13/24