The Supreme Court on Thursday declined to take up a dispute over a Montana law that would have required notarized parental consent for a minor to receive an abortion.
State lawmakers have argued that parents have a constitutional right to make decisions concerning the care, custody and control of their children.
Planned Parenthood of Montana, in challenging the law, argued that minors have a constitutional right to privacy that cannot be infringed.
A general view of the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, June 1, 2024.
Will Dunham/Reuters
The Montana Supreme Court struck down the law on state constitutional grounds. The U.S. Supreme Court now leaves that decision in place.
Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch said they agreed with the Supreme Court’s decision not to hear the case, saying it “provides a poor vehicle” for addressing the constitutional question about the rights of parents, which they suggested they are open to resolving in a future case.
