Appeals Judges Weigh Tennessee Abortion Trafficking Law Defense

While Sixth Circuit judges Tuesday grilled both sides in a case about Tennessee’s abortion trafficking law, a judge appointed by a Democratic president expressed concern about whether the law would infringe on the sovereignty of other states.

Tennessee law makes it a misdemeanor for individuals to intentionally recruit, harbor, or transport a minor for abortions both in-state and out-of-state without their parents’ or legal guardians’ consent. Senior Judge Jane Branstetter Stranch questioned how the state could argue for possibly regulating out-of-state actions while filing a US Supreme Court brief opposing Colorado local governments suing fossil fuel companies over climate change ...