When state officials at the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women denied a woman her constitutional right to access abortion care, we stepped in.
The ACLU of Nebraska filed an emergency lawsuit on the woman’s behalf, listing her anonymously as Jane Roe. Prison officials had been forcing Roe to remain pregnant against her will for weeks, delaying responses and denying requests. Their action was a clear violation of the law and a blatant abuse of power.
Almost immediately after the lawsuit was filed, state officials reversed course. They agreed to enter a court order requiring prison staff to transport the woman for an abortion and any necessary follow-up appointments.
Roe was able to get the time-sensitive care she needed and was legally entitled to, but it shouldn’t have taken legal action. Prisons and jails should remember that abortion is a right, including for those who are incarcerated.
