Supporters Of Wisconsin Abortion Law Testify In Federal Court

State attorneys submitted testimony on Wednesday in a federal court in Madison in defense of a law that requires abortion doctors to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals.

Two supporters of the law said it’s needed to protect the health of women who may have complications following an abortion. Lena Wood said she ended up in a hospital with a life-threatening infection a week after her abortion at an Appleton clinic in 1995. She says the doctor who performed that abortion never followed up on her condition.

Attorneys for Planned Parenthood, the group challenging the law, say there’s no solid evidence the infection was a result of the abortion.

Milwaukee obstetrician James Linn testified that he helped perform a hysterectomy on a woman who had a lacerated uterus after an abortion at a Milwaukee clinic. Linn says the doctor who performed the abortion never followed up after the woman left the clinic in an ambulance. Linn also said the law requiring hospital admitting privileges for abortion doctors could prevent such incidents.

On Thursday, Judge William Conley will quiz a panel of three experts on the pros and cons of hospital admitting privileges. The panel includes one expert in support of the law, one in opposition, and one neutral — all chosen by the judge. Planned Parenthood attorney Lester Pines says it’s an unusual approach to testing whether the law violates the right to an abortion.

“We don’t know what it’s going to look like because none of us have ever experienced it,” said Pines. “To the best of our knowledge, it has never been done in a courtroom in the United States of America.”

After the judge quizzes the experts, attorneys for both sides will also cross-examine them individually. The trial is expected to wrap up on Friday with a ruling upholding or striking down the law expected sometime next month.