(September 25, 2024 – Buffalo, New York) On September 24, 2024, a federal judge ruled that two New York pregnancy help organizations are free to continue sharing information about Abortion Pill Reversal and issued a preliminary injunction blocking New York Attorney General Letitia James from silencing the constitutionally protected speech of these pro-life ministries while their lawsuit moves forward.

In August 2024, Thomas More Society attorneys filed a federal lawsuit against Attorney General James on behalf of Summit Life Outreach Center and The Evergreen Association, outlining how James’ threats, prosecution, and intimidation of New York’s pregnancy help organizations violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution. The lawsuit argued that James’ targeting of pregnancy help organizations with threats and prosecution unconstitutionally chills their speech about the safety and efficacy of Abortion Pill Reversal.

The preliminary injunction order mirrors one issued by the district court in a related case, National Institute of Family and Life Advocates v. James. The court order protects Summit and Evergreen in their sharing of information about Abortion Pill Reversal—a protocol that can reverse the effects of the first abortion pill if a woman changes her mind. In a separate but related New York state court case, Thomas More Society is representing Heartbeat International and a collective of New York pro-life pregnancy help organizations that have been sued by James for promoting Abortion Pill Reversal.

Peter Breen, Thomas More Society Executive Vice President & Head of Litigation, stated: “This injunction marks a critical victory for New York’s pregnancy help organizations and another blow to Letitia James’ unconstitutional witch-hunt against pro-life ministries. These small nonprofits, which exist to compassionately serve women and offer them alternatives to abortion, deserve to have their speech elevated—not chilled. This court order makes clear Ms. James cannot censor pro-life speech purely because she dislikes it. We are hopeful that this injunction will buttress our case in New York state court, where we proudly continue to defend the host of pregnancy help organizations unjustly targeted and sued by Ms. James as part of her unconstitutional campaign to silence pro-life ministries. These pro-life ministries have a constitutional right to share information about Abortion Pill Reversal, and their message is saving thousands of lives.”

Barbara Bidak, Executive Director of Summit Life Outreach Center & Thomas More Society client, reacted: “Our staff and volunteers at Summit Life Outreach Center work tirelessly to provide life-affirming options for women in need. We're incredibly pleased a federal judge has now made clear that Attorney General Letitia James’ legal attacks on our state's pro-life ministries unconstitutionally chills our First Amendment right to share the lifesaving message of Abortion Pill Reversal—which gives pregnant moms in the middle of a chemical abortion a second chance to choose life. We are grateful to Thomas More Society for stepping in to defend our rights and pressing this case in federal court.”

Read the Order Staying Consolidated Case with Preliminary Injunction, issued September 24, 2024, in Summit Life Outreach Center, et al. v. Letitia James, by U.S. District Court Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr., in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York, here.

Read background on Summit Life Outreach Center, et al. v. Letitia James on the Thomas More Society case page, here.

Media photos of Thomas More Society clients and attorneys in Summit Life Outreach Center, et al. v. Letitia James are available, here.