National Advocates for Pregnant Women (NAPW) Rejects Montana County Prosecutor's Call to Implement "The Handmaid's Tale"
NAPW Advises Pregnant Women Not to "Self-Report" and the Public to Reject Incoherent and Inaccurate Claims Regarding Pregnant Women
On January 11, 2018, the Big Horn County Attorney's Office issued an announcement calling for the "immediate crackdown" on pregnant women that is outrageous, irresponsible, and dangerous to women, children, and families.
On Monday, December 4th four justices of the Appellate Division of New York Supreme Court heard arguments in the Dray case. Rinat Dray is a mother who is suing Staten Island University Hospital and doctors there because, pursuant to a secret (not disclosed to patients) hospital policy, they forced her to have cesarean surgery even though she clearly refused.
In Nevada, NAPW helped to get a charge of "felony drug use" against a pregnant woman dismissed. The charge was based upon an unconfirmed clinical drug screen result that was performed for the purpose of medical treatment being provided to a pregnant woman in the hospital.
NAPW recently helped get serious felony criminal charges dismissed for two women targeted in relationship to pregnancy.
A case against an Idaho woman who faced a felony injury to a child charge after alleged drug use while pregnant was dismissed in April 2017. NAPW worked together with the Idaho woman's defense lawyer who argued that the child injury statue could not be used to criminalize pregnancy or actions while pregnant, and that if the court judicially expanded the law for such a prosecution, that would violate the woman's constitutional rights.
New York, May 18, 2017—Three weeks ago, the federal court struck down a Wisconsin law authorizing the detention, forced treatment, and incarceration of pregnant women as unconstitutional. The law allowed the state to seize control of women, detain them in jail or other locked facilities, and force them to submit to unconsented to and inappropriate treatment if they are pregnant and use – or even disclose past use of – any amount of alcohol or a controlled substance.
On Friday evening, April 28, 2017, a federal court in Wisconsin struck down a state law authorizing the detention, forced treatment, and incarceration of pregnant women as unconstitutional.
In long-awaited court action, all charges were finally dismissed against Kenlissia Jones, the African-American Georgia woman who had been arrested based on the claim that she had used medication she obtained online to terminate a pregnancy. National Advocates for Pregnant Women, a national nonprofit legal advocacy organization, provided substantial legal assistance to Ms. Jones and her criminal defense lawyer.
On January 9, 2017 Anna Yocca of Tennessee pleaded guilty to attempted procurement of a miscarriage a class E Felony, in exchange for her immediate release from jail.
Her case dates back to December 8, 2015, when Tennessee prosecutors indicted Ms. Yocca for attempted first degree murder based on the claim that she had used a coat hanger in an attempt to terminate her approximately 24 week pregnancy.
Despite national and international developments that make many of us feel less than hopeful, NAPW has had a number of victories that remind us of the need to celebrate the accomplishments we have had.
Indiana Court of Appeals Rules that Legislature Did Not Intend to Punish Women Who Have Abortions
Patel’s Conviction for Neglect of a Dependent Modified, Reducing Her Sentence
On July 22, 2016, the Indiana Court of Appeals announced its decision to overturn the conviction of Purvi Patel for the crime of feticide.
