Last week Attorney General Leslie Rutledge’s office filed a formal brief defending four of Arkansas’ pro-life laws before the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

The laws are:

  • Act 45, which prohibits certain abortion procedures—such as D&E abortion procedures—in which an unborn baby is dismembered.
  • Act 733, which prohibits abortions performed due to the baby’s sex. It contains a provision requiring the doctor to request the pregnant woman’s medical records pertaining to her pregnancy history before performing the abortion.
  • Act 1018, which expanded state laws requiring reporting of abortions performed on girls under the age of 17.
  • Act 603, which prohibits biomedical and behavioral research on aborted fetal remains and helps ensure aborted babies will be properly buried or cremated.
  • Act 383, which clarifies that abortion clinics will be inspected at least annually; that the inspections will be unannounced; and that any clinic that fails inspection will have its license to perform abortions suspended immediately.

U.S. District Judge Kristine Baker blocked all four laws last summer. The A.G.’s office is asking the Eighth Circuit to reverse her order and reinstate these good laws.

Given some of the recent, pro-life victories in the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, a good ruling in this case seems likely.