Wyoming Supreme Court denies request to reconsider overturn of pro-life laws

The Wyoming Supreme Court has refused a request from the Attorney General's office to reconsider its ruling, which overturned several of the state's preborn protections.

Key Takeaways:

• The Wyoming Supreme Court refused to reconsider its January ruling in which it blocked a law protecting nearly all preborn children from abortion, as well as a law banning abortion pills.

• The office of Special Assistant Attorney General Jay Jerde had asked the court to reconsider, saying it made "numerous mistakes or errors of law" in its initial ruling, but the court refused.

• During his State of the State address, Governor Mark Gordon called on lawmakers to take up the issue of abortion, saying, “Protecting life is the most serious responsibility entrusted to the government."

The Backstory:

In early January, the state supreme court struck down two of the state's pro-life laws: The Life is a Human Right Act, which protected nearly all preborn children from abortion, and another law that banned abortion pills.

In issuing their ruling, justices maintained that the laws violate a woman's ability to make "decisions" about her own health care, even while acknowledging that abortion ends a life.

“Although a woman’s decision to have an abortion ends the fetal life, the decision is, nevertheless, one she makes concerning her own health care,” Wyoming Chief Justice Lynne Boomgaarden wrote.

Following the ruling, the office of Special Assistant Attorney General Jay Jerde issued a petition asking the court for a rehearing. Jerde said the court made “numerous mistakes or errors of law” in its ruling by disregarding legal precedent as well as the "right to life" embodied in the state's constitution.

The Details:

On February 18, the Supreme Court denied Jerde's petition.

In its response to Jerde, the court did not answer to his individual claims, instead saying, “having examined the files and record of the Court and having carefully considered the issues raised in Appellants’ Petition for Rehearing, the Court finds that the petition should be denied.”

According to the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, although the court "officially closed the case after publishing the denial," the fight for preborn lives in the state is far from over.

On February 9, Governor Mark Gordon gave his State of the State address, during which he called on lawmakers to again take up the issue of abortion.

“Protecting life is the most serious responsibility entrusted to the government,” Gordon said. “The question of abortion deserves careful deliberation. And I urge this legislature to take up this issue earnestly.”

The Bottom Line:

All preborn children deserve to be protected from the direct and intentional killing of abortion. There is no instance in which a mother's feelings trump the right to life.