Free Republic

Illinois Supreme Court Urged to, Without Delay, Enforce Federal Law Requiring Physicians to Notify Minor’s Parents before Performing an Abortion (08/31/09 – Chicago, IL) Today, the Thomas More Society, a public interest law firm based in Chicago, has filed in the lllinois Supreme Court an original action for “writ of mandamus,” asking the Justices to order the immediate enforcement, without further delay, of the Parental Notice of Abortion Act of 1995 (“Parental Notice Act” or “the Act”), and directing the members of the Illinois State Medical Disciplinary Board, the Acting Secretary of the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation,...

On Tuesday, January 13th, RFFM.org detailed the history of Illinois' Parental Notification Law (see: Illinois' Parental Notification of Abortion Act: Thomas More Society's Long Battle for Law's Enforcement: http://rffm.typepad.com/republicans_for_fair_medi/2009/01/illinois-parental-notification-of-abortion-act-thomas-more-societys-long-battle-for-laws-enforcement.html). On Wednesday, a three judge panel of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals conducted a hearing regarding the case titled, "David Zbaraz vs. Lisa Madigan". The case was not decided and the three judge panel said the case would be "taken under advisement." The Parental Notification Law was passed in 1995 and signed by then-Governor Jim Edgar. However, the law, which would require parents to be informed when their minor children...

On Wednesday, January 14th, the Chicago-based Thomas More Society (TMS) will be arguing in the Court of Appeals (7th Circuit) along with Lisa Madigan's Illinois Solicitor General in defense of Illinois' long moribund Parental Notice Law of 1995 which the federal courts enjoined when the Illinois Supreme Court refused to issue necessary procedural rules for "expedited, confidential bypass hearings." TMS's special counsel, Paul Linton, lobbied for a consortium of Illinois pro-life and pro-family groups with DuPage County State's Attorney Joe Birkett, who then petitioned the newly reconstituted Supreme Court (all but one of whose members weren't on the old Court...

RFFM.org NEWS -- by Dan Gura, Associate Editor CHICAGO, IL -- The Springfield Nativity Scene Committee (SNSC), in conjunction with the Chicago-based Thomas More Society, announced the Nativity scene which made history as it stood in the Illinois state capitol building in Springfield was a total success and the group intends to make the project an annual affair. The group also announced it has received inquiries for legal and logistical assistance from residents in Iowa and Wisconsin who would like to put up similar religious displays next Christmas season. “Things couldn’t have gone better,” said Dan Zanoza, Chairman of the...

It was literally one of the most fulfilling events of my life. However, I didn't fully realize it at first. In late 2007, I thought it was time to get my life back on track after becoming totally blind two and a half years ago. Sure, there was my writing. And support of pro-family causes filled up many of my days. Yet there was something missing. However, I was soon to learn what it was. A few years ago, it was suggested I lead a project that would eventually result in a Nativity scene standing in the state Capitol Building...

Report Regarding NRLC Role in Defeat of South Dakota Legislative Effort to Ban Abortion and Challenge Roe v. Wade Wed, Mar 31, 2004 TO: CONCERNED PRO-LIFERS DATE: March 31, 2004 FROM: Richard Thompson, Chief Counsel, Thomas More Law Center RE: REPORT REGARDING THE NATIONAL RIGHT TO LIFE COMMITTEE’S ROLE IN THE DEFEAT OF SOUTH DAKOTA’S LEGISLATIVE EFFORT TO BAN ABORTION AND CHALLENGE ROE V. WADE INTRODUCTION Over the past week, the Thomas More Law Center has received numerous inquires questioning National Right to Life Committee’s (NRLC) role in the defeat of South Dakota’s House Bill 1191 (HB1191), designed to ban...