Free Republic

The California Supreme Court delved into the world of religion Wednesday, agreeing to decide whether doctors can deny treatment to patients who offend their religious beliefs. The justices decided to review the case of two Vista fertility doctors, Christine Brody and Douglas Fenton, who refused to artificially inseminate a lesbian woman. The Christian doctors, however, do not object to treating married patients requiring insemination. "These physicians do not believe that it is necessarily appropriate for a woman to have a baby out of wedlock," the doctors' attorney, Robert Tyler said. "Should a Christian be forced to artificially inseminate an unmarried...

Doctors denied her infertility treatment on religious grounds The state Supreme Court stepped into a clash between gay-rights advocates and religious conservatives Wednesday, agreeing to decide whether doctors at a Southern California infertility clinic were entitled to deny artificial insemination to a lesbian. Five of the seven justices voted to grant a hearing to Guadalupe Benitez, who appealed a lower court's ruling allowing the doctors to assert their religious beliefs in defense of their actions. The case should clear up "confusion in the public mind about whether religious beliefs excuse discrimination,'' said attorney Jennifer Pizer of the Lambda Legal Defense...

A WOMAN whose doctors refused her infertility treatment because she is a lesbian has sued before California's Supreme Court, her lawyer said today. "Our client's doctors' behaviour goes against established medical ethics and violates California civil rights law," said Lambda Legal lawyer Jennifer Pizer in a statement announcing the suit was filed yesterday. "The doctors claim a right not to comply with California's civil rights law because they are fundamentalist Christians and they object to treating a lesbian patient the same way they treat other patients," the group said in a statement. An appeals court overturned a trial court decision...

A woman whose doctors refused her infertility treatment because she is a lesbian has sued before California's Supreme Court, her attorney said. "Our client's doctors' behavior goes against established medical ethics and violates California civil rights law," said Lambda Legal attorney Jennifer Pizer in a statement announcing the suit was filed on Monday. "The doctors claim a right not to comply with California's civil rights law because they are fundamentalist Christians and they object to treating a lesbian patient the same way they treat other patients," the group said in a statement. An appeals court overturned a trial court decision...