Posted on 05/03/2005 9:50:07 AM PDT by IMissPresidentReagan
A judge has ruled that a 13-year-old girl at the center of an abortion fight with the state may terminate her pregnancy.
Juvenile Judge Ronald Alvarez (search) on Monday ruled that the teen, who has been in state custody for four years, would not be physically or emotionally harmed by the procedure. Last week, Alvarez blocked the girl's abortion until a psychological evaluation was completed.
"He ruled that she is competent, that she has made a decision and that she has a right to act on that decision," said Howard Simon, executive director of the Florida American Civil Liberties Union (search), which represented the girl.
The state Department of Children & Families had argued that the girl, known only in court papers as L.G., (search) was too young and immature to decide for herself to have an abortion. The agency said state law prohibited the agency from consenting to the procedure.
Children and families officials declined to comment Monday on whether they planned to appeal Alvarez's decision.
"Since this is still in litigation, I can't speak to what's going on in court," agency spokeswoman Marilyn Munoz told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Attorneys for the girl said the abortion was scheduled for Monday, but it was unclear whether the girl underwent the procedure.
The girl told the judge last week as part of the psychological evaluation process that she wanted an abortion, citing her age and no way to support a baby. The girl's attorneys argue that Florida law protects a minor's right to choose an abortion.
A measure is moving through the state Legislature to require notification of parents or guardians when girls seek abortion. In 2003, the Florida Supreme Court struck down a 1999 law requiring parents to be notified if their minor daughters seek an abortion.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
I was under the impression that the US Supreme Court had said on numerous occassions that: 1. States do NOT HAVE to pay for abortions and 2. States have a legitimate interest in advocating life. I understand that as a 13 year old, the girl may not wish to be pregnant, however, at the same time, the judiciary forcing the state to finance and permit this procedure seems to fly in the face of previous US Supreme Court decisions.
The fact that she has no way to care for a baby seems to me somewhat irrelevant as it would seem that the unborn baby would be cared for by DCF or put up for adoption.
In my opinion, the underlying problem is that this girl was in DCF custody at the time she became pregnant. Seems as though DCF needs to be investigated or overhauled.
Why doesn't the girl name the father or rapist? Is he a DCF official? Where is he? Who is he?
This is what we are talking about when we say judicial activism!
Why is abortion not only condoned, but implemented by the state?
Alvarez should be impeached!
I was somewhat curious as to that as well.
I don't think 13 or maybe she was 12 at the time of conception is old enough to give consent in the first place to have sex. Most states are 16. I may be wrong here, but where is the father of this unborn child? If she was in care of the State, they have some explaining to do here I would think.
Looks like Florida has no qualms about killing no matter what kind of life it is.
With Terri, it was because she was impaired.
With this baby, it's because....they don't want to deal with it.
Next it will be.....who knows....and who knows what reasoning.
Life they find to be inconvenient is fair game for killing. (Except quadruple, rapist, ax murdering, people-eaters. Lord knows, they'll have their 'rights' protected.)
So the new rule for Florida: "If you're INNOCENT & INCONVENIENT life, then you'd better get a visa to the Vatican."
This decision will be a landmark in allowing minors to proceed with abortions with out parental permission. No 13 year old is ready to have a child OR an abortion. She does not have the mental capacity to understand the long term impact this will have on her emotionally. SHAME ON THE JUDGE!!
The Florida judiciary....here we go again.
It must be nice to be a judge that can read the future - no wonder they make such great decisions
Seriously, considering how corrupt and screwed-up Florida courts are, I never intend to visit that state for fear that I may end up in front of one of their "circus" courts.
Welcome to China. If it had gone the other way we would have been accused of supporting activism if it goes our way. Which may be true until we get a level playing field, we have to take the system as we find it.
I say that we need to fence Florida off along with California until they get their act together enough to rejoin the adults at the "Big People's Table."
Also, Rush and Ann Coulter need to get out of that state post haste. It is nowhere for targeted right-wingers to be.
Can there any longer be any doubt that those unfortunate souls who find themselves in the clutches of the state in America are liable to find themselves in mortal danger?
This child in this child's womb has now received a death sentence; without charge, without trial, without ever being convicted of a crime.
As was the case for Terri Schiavo, Article One, Section Two of the Florida constitution, along with the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution are being IGNORED.
I won't go there. I'm not sure I'm going to ever step foot out of Texas again.
Abortion is legal in Florida and the teen has no parents. The judge made the right decision to allow the teen to abort her child.
Must be related to Judgenfuhrer Greer!
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