General
SCOTUS Amicus Curiae Brief for Stenberg v Carhart (2000)
SCOTUS Amicus Curiae Brief for Stenberg v Carhart, February 20, 2000
Brief Amicus Curiae of the United States Catholic Conference; Nebraska Catholic Conference; Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention; Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America; Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod; and National Association of Evangelicals in support of petitioners.
Representatives of diverse religious communities unite here across denominational lines as amici curiae on behalf of Petitioners to demonstrate that Nebraska may, as it has here, prohibit the killing of partly-born children. As religious communities, many of these amici have worked to restore constitutional protection for life in the United States. As much as we continue to work for reconsideration of this Court's abortion jurisprudence, this case does not require the Court to reevaluate its earlier abortion decisions, for the prohibited conduct falls outside the bounds established under those decisions. The challenged Nebraska law reasonably and constitutionally advances traditional state interests in protecting life and regulating the medical profession. Individual statements of interest follow.
The United States Catholic Conference is a nonprofit corporation organized under the laws of the District of Columbia. Its members are the active Catholic Bishops in the United States. The Catholic Bishops of Nebraska are, in addition, members of the Nebraska Catholic Conference.
Both Conferences are vehicles through which the Bishops can speak cooperatively and collegially on matters affecting the Catholic Church, its people, and society in general. The Conferences advocate and promote the pastoral teaching of the Church on diverse issues, including the protection of human rights and the sanctity and dignity of human life. The United States Catholic Conference and Nebraska Catholic Conference have supported initiatives in Congress and in the Nebraska Legislature, respectively, to prevent the killing of partly-born infants.