The chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court has initiated an investigation after a draft order was leaked to the press regarding a case brought by Planned Parenthood. The case seeks to establish access to abortion as a protected right under the state constitution.
Chief Justice Annette Ziegler expressed shock over the leak of the confidential document and has requested a full investigation to identify the source. All seven justices on the court have united behind this effort to address the breach of confidentiality.
The draft order did not specify which justices supported accepting the abortion case, and no dissents were indicated. Planned Parenthood filed the lawsuit in February, challenging a 175-year-old state law that has been interpreted as an abortion ban by conservatives.
This is the second abortion-related lawsuit currently before the court. The court is also considering an appeal by Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul regarding the enforcement of a 1849 law versus a 1985 law that allows abortions up to a certain point of fetal development.
The court, which shifted to liberal control in 2023, has been handling high-profile cases, including the recent decision to invalidate Republican-drawn legislative maps. Additionally, the court is expected to rule soon on a lawsuit concerning the use of absentee ballot drop boxes in Wisconsin.
As the court's term comes to a close, these cases are drawing significant attention and could have far-reaching implications for the state's legal landscape.
