Alabama legislators in 2014 changed the state’s process for girls who seek a judge’s permission for an abortion instead of their parents’. The state has argued that the process allowed for a more robust inquiry to help a judge make a decision about the girl’s maturity level. Walker noted that a district attorney this summer opposed the abortion request of a 12-year-old girl who had been raped by an adult relative. The girl was 13 weeks pregnant and had just completed fifth grade when she went before a family court judge, according to a court record. The Alabama Court of Civil Appeals ruled in favour of the girl on July 12.

Source: National Post August 09, 2017 23:15 UTC