Alaska Gov. Palin Appoints Former Planned Parenthood Board Member To State Supreme Court

Main Category: Women's Health / Gynecology
Also Included In: Abortion;  Sexual Health / STDs;  Litigation / Medical Malpractice
Article Date: 11 Mar 2009 - 5:00 PDT

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Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) recently appointed Anchorage Superior Court Judge Morgan Christen, who once served on the board of Planned Parenthood, to the state's Supreme Court, the AP/Anchorage Daily News reports. According to the AP/Daily News, Palin's selection went against the advice of the Alaska Family Council -- a conservative group that opposes abortion rights -- who said that Christen was the more liberal of the governor's two choices for the vacant position. The two candidates were recommended by the Alaska Judicial Council, an independent citizen's commission that evaluates judicial appointments for the governor.

AFC said the other candidate, Palmer Superior Court Judge Eric Smith, would be more likely "to turn back the tide of activism" on issues like abortion rights. According to the group, Christen is more likely to side with justices who struck down laws like a 2006 measure requiring girls 16 years and younger to obtain parental consent to receive an abortion. According to the AP/Daily News, the state legislature currently is considering a similar parental consent bill. The current bill includes a provision allowing a minor to petition a superior court judge to bypass parental consent.

Palin, who opposes abortion rights, said she has "every confidence that [Christen] has the experience, intellect, wisdom and character to be an outstanding Supreme Court justice." Christen served on the Planned Parenthood board in the 1990s before the organization began performing abortions in Alaska in 2003, according to the AP/Daily News. According to the AP/Daily News, Christen will be the second woman to serve on the state's high court -- current Chief Justice Dana Fabe was appointed in 1996 (Sutton, AP/Anchorage Daily News, 3/6).

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