IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Louisville, KY – Friday marked a monumental victory for pro-life advocates, the First Amendment, and the sanctity of free speech, particularly for mothers and their unborn children. After a three-year, hard-fought legal battle, a motion for summary judgment was granted by District Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings of the United States District Court, providing a permanent injunction on the 2021 Louisville Metro Council buffer zone ordinance.

This ordinance infringed upon the First Amendment rights of sidewalk counselors and pro-life advocates who peacefully prayed and offered counsel to women entering the EMW Abortion Facility in Louisville.

The buffer zone ordinance, passed in May 2021 and signed by then-Mayor Greg Fischer, prohibited individuals from entering or obstructing a 10-foot-wide “buffer zone” around facilities like the EMW Abortion Facility. This directly impacted pro-life sidewalk counselors who have long provided life-saving resources, quiet emotional support, prayers, and alternatives to abortion for women entering the facility.

“This decision is not just a victory for those who stand for life on the sidewalks, offering compassion, resources, and alternatives to abortion—it is a profound First Amendment victory for all who believe in the fundamental right to free speech. Pro-life advocates have long stood as a beacon of hope for women, offering support and encouragement during the most difficult moments,” said Addia Wuchner, Executive Director of Kentucky Right to Life – joint plaintiff in the case.

Christopher Wiest, the attorney representing Kentucky Right to Life and Sisters for Life, led the charge. “We are thrilled with this victory after a years-long battle that vindicates important First Amendment rights for our clients and their ministries,” Wiest stated. “Today’s decision is a blessing for moms, babies, and the truth that our ministries have strived to present to mothers and pregnant women.”

Angela Minter, President of Sisters for Life and a joint plaintiff, said, “With the court issuing a permanent injunction, the unconstitutional buffer zone ordinance has been struck down, restoring the right of pro-life advocates to pray and offer quiet counsel to young girls and women entering a Louisville abortion facility. This is a victory for faith and free speech, a justice for the moms and the babies, and we give thanks to all who have stood firm in this fight for life.”

Ed Harpring and Mary Kenney, both longtime pro-life advocates, also joined the legal challenge, representing the countless men and women who have prayed and stood alongside women entering abortion facilities over the years. “We are blessed by advocates like Joe Lynch, Sisters for Life, Ed, and Mary, who are the quiet yet powerful face of pro-life advocacy,” said Addia Wuchner. “Joe testified that he visits EMW once per week to pray in and around the buffer zone because he believes he is in a ‘spiritual battle over abortion.”

Wuchner also expressed her deep gratitude for those who supported this long-standing legal fight, stating,

 “I thank our attorney, Chris Wiest, for his skillful and unrelenting pursuit of justice on our behalf. We are also grateful to Kentucky’s former Attorney General Daniel Cameron and his team for their briefs and continued support, and to Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman and his team, whose assistance helped secure this victory.”

The legal journey to victory was arduous. After the ordinance was passed in 2021, Wiest quickly filed for an injunction, challenging its constitutionality on First Amendment grounds. Following setbacks, including a 2022 District Court ruling denying the injunction, the case saw a turning point with the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, which led to Kentucky’s abortion ban.

The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the previous decision, granting a preliminary injunction in December 2022. This paved the way for Friday’s permanent injunction.

While the EMW Abortion Facility has since closed following the Dobbs decision, this case remained critical to protecting free speech and the rights of pro-life advocates. Kentucky Right to Life, Sisters for Life, and their partners remain unwavering in their defense of the unborn and the fundamental rights of those who minister on the sidewalks, offering love, hope, and life-affirming support.

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As always, thank you in advance for your prayers and faithful support. While the victory was a longtime in comming,

Changing Hearts- Saving Lives,

Addia