Court Rules Arizona Sheriff Can Not Block Inmates' Access to Abortion Care

[struggle4progress]

By Jodi Jacobson, RH Reality Check
October 20, 2009 - 5:24pm

The Arizona Sheriff who took it upon himself to block inmates' lawful access to abortion services and who also required they pay an extra "tax" for access to abortion services can no longer require inmates seeking abortion care to prepay their transportation and security costs before they can obtain an abortion, according to an Arizona court finding today.

In a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union, the court found that Maricopa County Sheriff Joseph Arpaio must abide by earlier court decisions that he apparently had interpreted in his own unique way.

Earlier this year, as part of a partial settlement in an ACLU lawsuit involving the right of women prisoners to obtain timely, safe and legal abortions, Arpaio agreed to follow a 2005 court order prohibiting Maricopa County correctional facilities from requiring inmates to obtain a court order before an abortion. However, in the course of settlement negotiations, Arpaio decided inmates must prepay transportation and security costs associated with obtaining the procedure. In his ruling today, Judge Robert H. Oberbilling of the Superior Court of Arizona indicated that requiring inmates to prepay security and transportation costs could be more onerous than the court order Sheriff Arpaio previously required ...

http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2009/10/20/court-rules-arizona-sheriff-can-not-block-inmates-access-abortion-care