Judges allow teens bypass notification law, have abortion without telling parents

Denver, Colo., Aug 15, 2004 / 22:00 pm

Pro-life supporters are upset that judges are granting girls permission to bypass a new parental-notification law and to avoid notifying their parents before having an abortion.

Colorado’s new parental-notification law orders doctors to notify a minor’s parents before performing an abortion. However, since that new law was enacted nine months ago, several girls have asked for a judge's permission to bypass that requirement. None of these girls’ requests were refused, reported The Associated Press.

The bypass-approval rate suggests that bypass requests are simply rubber-stamped by judges, Mary Spaulding Balch of the National Right to Life Committee, told the AP.

Judges deny that requests are simply rubber-stamped. They say decisions are based on an interview with girls about their knowledge of the consequences of abortion, their mental health and their family situations.

While the state does not record bypass numbers, Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains says it has paired 66 girls with attorneys who volunteer their time to handle bypass cases.

Some of the girls eventually decided not to go before a judge, but none of those who did were denied their request, spokeswoman Kate Horle told the AP.

Rep. Ted Harvey (R-Highlands Ranch), who sponsored the parental-notification bill last year, said the Legislature needs to take more action in determining whether there are legitimate cases where parents should be denied their rights in knowing about their daughter’s decision to abort.