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pcteaser
05-03-2005, 01:41 PM
Fla. Gov. Jeb Bush Says State Won't Appeal Judge's Ruling Allowing Abortion for 13-Year-Old Girl

By JILL BARTON

The Associated Press



May. 3, 2005 - A judge ruled that a 13-year-old girl at the center of an abortion fight with the state may terminate her pregnancy, and Gov. Jeb Bush said Tuesday that the state will not appeal further. Juvenile Judge Ronald Alvarez ruled Monday that the teen, who has been in state custody for four years, would not be physically or emotionally harmed by the procedure. Last week, Alvarez blocked the girl's abortion until a psychological evaluation was completed.

"He ruled that she is competent, that she has made a decision and that she has a right to act on that decision," said Howard Simon, executive director of the Florida American Civil Liberties Union, which represented the girl.

It was unclear Tuesday whether the girl, 14 weeks pregnant and known only as L.G. in court papers, had yet undergone an abortion. Calls to the girl's attorneys seeking an update were not immediately returned.

State Department of Children & Families spokeswoman Marilyn Munoz said the agency would "respectfully comply with the court's decision." She declined to provide further details.

"We are working for the best interest of the young girl," Munoz said.

The teen became pregnant after running away from the DCF shelter where she lives.

"It's a tragedy that a 13-year-old girl would be in a vulnerable position where she could be made pregnant and it's a tragedy that her baby will be lost," Bush said in Tallahassee.

The department had argued that the girl was too young and immature to decide for herself to have an abortion. The agency said state law prohibited the agency from consenting to the procedure.

The girl told the judge last week as part of the psychological evaluation process that she wanted an abortion, citing her age and no way to support a baby. The girl's ACLU attorneys argued that Florida law protects a minor's right to choose an abortion.

A measure is moving through the state Legislature to require notification of parents or guardians when girls seek abortion. In 2003, the Florida Supreme Court struck down a 1999 law requiring parents to be notified if their minor daughters seek an abortion.

laurabears
05-03-2005, 03:11 PM
SHMOO!

princesskittypoo
05-03-2005, 05:56 PM
13 is a strange age. you're old enough to have an abortion but not legal to have sex. same with drinking... and voting.... you can vote at 18 but you can't drink until you're 21. or you can go to war when your 18 but not drink. i think if you're old enough to kill someone you should be able to have a drink afterwards.

Simply_sexy
05-03-2005, 09:15 PM
There is a special stipulation to the law that if you're in the military/armed forces, you're legal to drink as long as you are still active. I found it when I had to write a research paper my freshman year in college.

princesskittypoo
05-03-2005, 11:36 PM
There is a special stipulation to the law that if you're in the military/armed forces, you're legal to drink as long as you are still active. I found it when I had to write a research paper my freshman year in college.
well i didn't know that. now i have really learned something today! thank you! (i just say i've learned something cause i know i will retain this where as some stuff just flies out of my head strait after reading).