The Supreme Court of the United States has struck down a Massachusetts law barring pro-life protesters from being within 35-feet of an abortion clinic. The unanimous ruling found that the law violated the first amendment protections of freedom of speech. While the ruling was unanimous, there were three opinions (Chief Justice John Roberts was joined by the Court's four liberals, Justice Antonin Scalia [...]
Lawyer argues against obstruction charges On Sept. 11, Linda Gibbons’s lawyer put forth a unique argument during the first day of her Provincial Court trial on a charge of obstructing a peace officer in connection with events outside the Scott “Clinic” abortuary in downtown Toronto last July 31. The diminutive grandmother has spent approximately five of her past 14 years in prison [...]
On Sept. 5, the British Columbia Court of Appeal affirmed a lower court decision which found that the bubble zone law prohibiting pro-life protests or sidewalk counselling within a 50-meter access zone to abortion facilities does not violate the freedom of speech guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In December 1998, Gordon Watson and Don Spratt were arrested when they [...]