Jennie McCormack v. Mark Hiedeman

694 F.3d 1004
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
DecidedSeptember 11, 2012
Docket11-36010, 11-36015
StatusPublished
Cited by81 cases

This text of 694 F.3d 1004 (Jennie McCormack v. Mark Hiedeman) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Jennie McCormack v. Mark Hiedeman, 694 F.3d 1004 (9th Cir. 2012).

Opinion

OPINION

PREGERSON, Circuit Judge:

On May 18, 2011, Mark Hiedeman, the Bannock County, Idaho prosecuting attorney, filed a felony criminal complaint in the district court of the State of Idaho, in and for Bannock County against Jennie Linn McCormack. The complaint charged McCormack with “the public offense of Unlawful Abortion, Idaho Code § 18-606,” which makes it a felony for any woman to undergo an abortion in a manner not authorized by statute. As a result, McCormack faced the possibility of up to five years imprisonment for allegedly violating Idaho Code § 18-606, which specifically targets pregnant women. Idaho Code § 18-606(2). On September 7, 2011, the Idaho state district court dismissed the criminal complaint without prejudice. Prosecuting attorney Hiedeman has not determined whether he will re-file the criminal complaint.

On September 24, 2011, McCormack filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho a class action lawsuit against the prosecuting attorney, Hiedeman. The suit charges, among other things, that Idaho Code § 18-606 violates various provisions of the United States Constitution. The district court issued a preliminary injunction, restraining Hiedeman from enforcing Idaho Code §§ 18-606 and 18-608(1). Hiedeman appeals, arguing that (1) the federal district court erred in determining that McCormack would likely succeed on the merits; and (2) the injunction is overbroad. McCormack cross appeals, arguing that the federal district court should have enjoined enforcement of Idaho Code § 18-606 in conjunction with both §§ 18-608(1) and 18-608(2). Additionally, McCormack argues that she has standing to challenge the enforcement of Chapter 5, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (including Idaho Code §§ 18-505 — 18-507).

For the reasons set forth below, we affirm in part and reverse in part the district court’s grant of a preliminary injunction.

A. Background

McCormack is a resident of Bannock County, Idaho. In 2010, McCormack was unmarried, had three children (ages 2, 11, and 18), and was unemployed. In 2010, McCormack had no source of income other than child support payments which were between $200 and $250 per month.

In the fall of 2010, McCormack was pregnant and sought an abortion. She knew that abortions were not available in southeast Idaho. In fact, there are no licensed health care providers offering abortion services in the eight southeastern Idaho counties. McCormack knew that abortions are available in Salt Lake City, Utah, but at costs between $400-$2,000 *1008 depending on how far along the pregnancy is. 1

But McCormack found out that abortions could be performed in Idaho using medications, rather than surgery and that the cost of such medical abortions was significantly less than the cost of a surgical abortion like those offered in Salt Lake City, Utah. She further learned that medications inducing abortions had been approved for use in the U.S. and could be purchased over the internet.

In McCormack’s complaint, she states that she “considered terminating her pregnancy ... by ingesting one or more medications she reasonably believed to have been prescribed by a health care provider practicing outside Bannock County, Idaho.” During the hearing before the district court on McCormack’s motion for a preliminary injunction, McCormack’s attorney reiterated that the medications were prescribed by a physician. McCormack’s attorney stated that McCormack went to “a provider over the [ijnternet.”

On May 18, 2011, Hiedeman, in his capacity as Bannock County prosecuting attorney, filed a criminal complaint in the district court of the State of Idaho, in and for Bannock County, charging McCormack with the felony of “the public offense of Unlawful Abortion, Idaho Code § 18-606.” The criminal complaint alleged:

That the said JENNIE LINN MCCORMACK, in the County of Bannock, State of Idaho, on the 24th day of December, 2010, did induce or knowingly aid in the production or performance of an abortion by knowingly submitting to an abortion and/or soliciting of another, for herself, the production of an abortion; and/or who purposely terminated her own pregnancy other than by live birth. 2

A magistrate judge dismissed the criminal complaint without prejudice on September 7, 2011. Hiedeman has not determined whether to re-file the criminal complaint.

McCormack does not want to have additional children. If she became pregnant, she would seek an abortion again. Because there are no providers of medical abortions in southeast Idaho, McCormack would need to seek the assistance of providers of abortion services outside of southeast Idaho.

B. Statutes

This case requires the interpretation of three Idaho abortion statutes: Idaho Code § 18-606, Idaho Code § 18-608, and Idaho Code § 18-505. We summarize the substance of each statute.

1. Chapter Six: Idaho Code § 18-606

Idaho Code § 18-606(2) makes it a felony, except as permitted by the remainder of Title 8, Chapter 6 of the Idaho Code, for “[ejvery woman who knowingly submits to an abortion or solicits of another, for herself, the production of an abortion, or who purposely terminates her own pregnancy otherwise than by a live birth....” Anyone deemed guilty of violating § 18-606 “shall be fined not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000) and/or imprisoned in the state prison for not less than one (1) and *1009 not more than five (5) years.” Idaho Code § 18-606(2).

2. Chapter Six: Idaho Code § 18-608

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Bluebook (online)
694 F.3d 1004, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jennie-mccormack-v-mark-hiedeman-ca9-2012.