Doe v. Minnesota (Minnesota)
(Minn. 2d Jud. Dist. No. 62-cv-19-3868)
Minnesota’s laws concerning abortion and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have become outdated. Enacted decades ago, many of these laws are out of step with contemporary medical practice and reflect antiquated views about gender and sexuality. In addition, they fail to honor the diverse religious traditions of Minnesota residents.
On July 11, 2022, the District Court permanently blocked many of these laws, including:
- a ban on qualified advance-practice clinicians providing abortion care;
- a requirement forcing patients to delay their abortion care by at least 24 hours after consulting with a healthcare provider;
- a requirement that young people notify both parents before they can receive abortion care;
- a requirement forcing abortion providers to give irrelevant and misleading information to their patients;
- a ban on the provision of second-trimester abortion care outside of hospitals; and
- regulations that subject abortion providers to felony criminal penalties for minor regulatory infractions.
The court held that the Minnesota Constitution protects not just a fundamental right to choose abortion, but also a fundamental right to access abortion care. The Honorable Thomas A Gilligan said: “The right to choose to have an abortion . . . would be meaningless without the right to access abortion care.”
On May 30, 2024, the Minnesota Supreme Court affirmed lower court rulings denying an anti-abortion activist group’s request to intervene in the lawsuit, concluding the legal challenge and ensuring the restrictions struck down in July 2022 will remain permanently blocked.
Plaintiffs:
Dr. Jane Doe; Mary Moe; Our Justice
Defendants:
State of Minnesota; Governor of Minnesota; Attorney General of Minnesota; Minnesota Commissioner of Health; Minnesota Board of Medical Practice; Minnesota Board of Nursing
Co-counsel:
Timeline and Key Documents:
May 30, 2024
February 12, 2024
April 3, 2023
September 9, 2022
September 6, 2022
August 4, 2022
July 11, 2022
June 21, 2022
November 22, 2021
December 29, 2020
November 2, 2020
October 12, 2020
July 29, 2020
June 25, 2020
February 20, 2020
January 28, 2020
November 25, 2019
September 25, 2019
July 30, 2019
May 29, 2019
Related Media
May 30, 2024
February 12, 2024
July 11, 2022
May 24, 2022
April 4, 2022
November 2, 2020
Visit UnrestrictMN.org to learn more about Minnesota’s abortion laws.