08/29/2025
ICYMI: Court of Appeals upholds Indiana abortion law, delivering another setback to Planned Parenthood
The Court of Appeals of Indiana issued an opinion on August 11 upholding Indiana’s abortion law by rejecting Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawai’i, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky, Inc.’s argument that the law, passed in Indiana’s 2022 special session of the legislature, is too restrictive. Planned Parenthood specifically argued the law does not contain mental health exceptions for abortions, and that the law’s prohibition of abortions at freestanding abortion clinics is unconstitutional.
Unbelievably, Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers challenged the facial validity of Indiana’s abortion law claiming it violates Article 1, Section 1 of the Indiana Constitution, which provides that “all people” are endowed “with certain inalienable rights,” including “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
Most notably, the opinion states, “Regarding the mental-health conditions, the trial court concluded that the medical-care providers “have not shown that there is a single mental health concern that must be treated with abortion.”
The opinion also notes, “Reflecting that understanding, all of Indiana’s abortion statutes since 1851 have recognized an exception for abortions that are required to protect a woman’s life.”
Planned Parenthood is expected to appeal the ruling to the Indiana Supreme Court.
