Posted by Thomas More Society (September 1, 2010 at 9:57 am)
Yesterday, on Tuesday, August 31, 2010, a divided Illinois Supreme Court denied a request by attorneys from Chicago’s Thomas More Society to transfer to the high Court the consolidated appeals pending before the Illinois Appellate Court that are holding up the enforcement of the Illinois Parental Notice of Abortion Act of 1995. The high Court’s Order was unaccompanied by any opinion giving reasons for this refusal to hasten the progress of the appeals, but Justices Thomas and Kilbride dissented from the ruling.
“We’re obviously disappointed with this ruling,” said Tom Brejcha, president and chief counsel of the Thomas More Society, “but we remain committed to doing everything we can possibly do to bring these appeals to a speedy and positive conclusion.” He added, “The ACLU’s latest constitutional attack on this law was deemed legally meritless and tossed out of court by the Cook County trial court, and yet the Attorney General agreed—inexplicably and without any legal basis—that the enforcement of parental notice should still be stayed, that is, suspended pending the outcome of ACLU’s appeal.”
“Our clients, who are Illinois State’s Attorneys, were denied leave to intervene to argue against this indefinite stay of enforcement. So, we’re pressing our appeal to put the Parental Notice Law into effect, sooner rather than later. An overwhelming majority of Illinois citizens believe that parents should know when their minor daughters are being taken to abortion clinics, and this ongoing delay over baseless legal challenges is unconscionable.”
Posted by Thomas More Society (August 26, 2010 at 10:39 am)
Check out this interview with TMS President and Chief Counsel Tom Brejcha that appeared on Focus on the Family’s Citizen Link program discussing the case of notorious abortionist Alberto Hodari in Michigan. Listen to the full interview here.
TMS is currently seeking disclosure of public records to find out why Hodari was not charged when human remains and confidential patient records were found in his dumpster. Read more on the case here.
Posted by Thomas More Society (August 24, 2010 at 9:21 pm)
For Immediate Release
Lansing, Michigan—Yesterday, Thomas More Society attorneys filed a lawsuit to compel disclosure of public records that indicate why a doctor in Michigan was not punished for tossing aborted fetuses and patient records in the trash. Robert Fleming, local counsel for the Chicago-based Thomas More Society, filed the lawsuit on behalf of Monica Migliorino Miller, Ph.D. and Citizens for a Pro-Life Society (CPLS) in Ingham County Circuit Court.
Dr. Miller, president and director of CPLS, filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to learn the results of an investigation of Dr. Alberto Hodari and his abortion clinic, the Women Care Clinic in Lathrup Village, Mich. The investigation was brought on after CPLS found patient medical and financial records as well as the remains of aborted fetuses in trash containers outside the Women Care Clinic in 2008. Dr. Miller and CPLS then filed the complaint as well as evidence of their discovery with the Bureau of Health Professionals and the local police department. Dr. Miller’s and CPLS’ FOIA request was denied earlier this year when they were told only that there was insufficient evidence to “substantiate” their charges, without any explanation as to why or how their evidence was deemed deficient. [Continue reading ...]
Posted by Thomas More Society (August 3, 2010 at 4:36 pm)
For Immediate Release
Chicago—This afternoon, in a wake of national interest in the case, the Thomas More Society secured a dismissal of all charges against the first arrestee under the city’s “bubble zone” ordinance, which prevents certain types of picketing activity outside local abortion clinics. Joseph Holland, a Northwestern University graduate student, was arrested outside Planned Parenthood’s Near North Side facility on July 3 after the facility’s staff called the police and claimed he violated the ordinance by praying on the public sidewalk.
“We are pleased that the City of Chicago has dismissed these false and baseless charges against Joe Holland,” said Peter Breen, Thomas More Society executive director and legal counsel. “The First Amendment protects prayer on a public sidewalk in Chicago the same as in any other city in the country. We hope that the city will cease the suppression of pro-life speech under the ‘bubble zone’ ordinance and dismiss the lone remaining case, brought against David Avignone, who was arrested a few days after Joe.” [Continue reading ...]
Posted by Thomas More Society (August 3, 2010 at 1:42 pm)
Check out this great video of this morning’s interview on FOX & Friends with Thomas More Society Executive Director Peter Breen and Joe Holland, the grad student arrested for violating Chicago’s “Bubble Zone” ordinance.
Update: Fox news did a follow-up piece on this story that you can read here.
Peter and Joe were also on Moody Radio’s In the Market with Jane Parshall yesterday afternoon. You can hear that interview here. Just click the “Hour 1″ button to hear Peter and Joe’s segment.
Posted by Thomas More Society (August 2, 2010 at 3:35 pm)
A new website from the Thomas More Society, Students for Life of America and Students for Life of Illinois, ArrestedForPraying.com is raising support and awareness of the arrest of Joe Holland for praying outside a Planned Parenthood facility. Joe’s arrest is the first under the Chicago “Bubble Zone” law that restricts sidewalk counseling outside abortion clinics in the city.
Visit ArrestedForPraying.com today and sign their petition urging Chicago mayor Richard Daley to drop all charges against Joe. Read the full story of Joe’s arrest here and read about the huge national media response to the story here.
Posted by Thomas More Society (August 2, 2010 at 11:06 am)
The story of graduate student Joe Holland, who was the first person arrested under the outrageous Chicago “Bubble Zone” ordinance, has caught the attention of the media. Today, the story made the front page on FoxNews.com! Today’s poll on the Fox News site also centers around Joe’s arrest. Be sure to stop by the site and cast your vote today.
In addition, Joe and TMS attorney Peter Breen will appear on Moody Radio this afternoon at 5:05 Eastern, 4:05 Central to discuss the arrest and the ordinance. Listen live at the Moody Radio Chicago website.
Then tomorrow morning at 5:20 a.m. Central, 6:20 a.m. Eastern, Joe and Peter will be on FOX & Friends, the Fox News morning show.
This is a fantastic opportunity for the public to see how ridiculous the Chicago “Bubble Zone” and its enforcement really are. Be sure to vote in the Fox News poll today, and don’t miss any of this great coverage today and tomorrow.
Posted by Thomas More Society (July 27, 2010 at 4:06 pm)
This morning, Thomas More Society attorney Peter Breen entered a “not guilty” plea to the charge of disorderly conduct on behalf of Joseph Holland, the first person arrested under the new Chicago “Bubble Zone” ordinance, which prevents certain types of picketing activity outside local abortion clinics. Holland, a Northwesten University graduate student, was praying the rosary on a public sidewalk outside the Planned Parenthood Near North abortion facility on July 3 when staff called the police, claiming that he had violated the new ordinance.
The “Bubble Zone” ordinance prohibits approaching within eight feet of a person, without consent, “for the purpose of passing a leaflet or handbill to, displaying a sign to, or engaging in oral protest, education, or counseling.” According to witnesses and available video, Holland was engaged solely in prayer activity and not in leafletting, picketing or “sidewalk counseling.” Video of Holland’s alleged disorderly conduct can be viewed here:
Posted by Thomas More Society (July 17, 2010 at 7:46 am)
Trespass Cases Against the “ND88″
“ND88″ Attorneys Allege “Viewpoint Discrimination” in Criminal Prosecutions
South Bend, Ind.—This week, another pretrial hearing was held in St. Joseph County Criminal Court involving the criminal trespass charges that the University of Notre Dame and the county prosecutor continue to press against the “ND88.” In a key ruling, Chief Judge Michael Scopelitis confirmed that Thomas More Society attorneys may take a deposition of a Notre Dame official, the former Director of Residential Life at the University.
The ND88, a group of pro-life demonstrators including Alan Keyes, Norma McCorvey and Fr. Norman Weslin, were arrested on Notre Dame’s campus in May 2009, while praying the rosary, singing religious hymns and bearing peaceful, prayerful witness to the sanctity of life as part of a demonstration against Notre Dame’s honoring of President Barack Obama during its Commencement exercises. [Continue reading ...]
Posted by Thomas More Society (July 8, 2010 at 9:08 pm)
For Immediate Release
For more information, contact:
Stephanie Lewis, TC Public Relations
312-422-1333, Stephanie@tcpr.net
CHICAGO—Today, attorneys from the Thomas More Society, on the eve of seeking emergency injunctive relief in federal court, secured an agreement from the city of West Chicago to allow a pro-life protest to proceed as scheduled tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. in West Chicago, Illinois.
West Chicago officials had notified the Thomas More Society early Thursday that the Pro-Life Action League’s “Face the Truth” Tour protest, which involves people holding abortion signage at busy intersections in various municipalities, would not be permitted to take place Friday morning in that city, due to a new ordinance covering demonstrations and protests. Adopted just this past Tuesday by the city of West Chicago, the ordinance requires would-be demonstrators to apply for a permit at least 90 days prior to a demonstration. The ordinance also allows denial of a permit based on the city administrator’s determination whether he believes a demonstration will negatively affect public “comfort, morals, and welfare.” [Continue reading ...]
Yesterday, on Tuesday, August 31, 2010, a divided Illinois Supreme Court denied a request by attorneys from Chicago’s Thomas More Society to transfer to the high Court the consolidated appeals pending before the Illinois Appellate Court that are holding up the enforcement of the Illinois Parental Notice of Abortion Act of 1995. The high Court’s Order was unaccompanied by any opinion giving reasons for this refusal to hasten the progress of the appeals, but Justices Thomas and Kilbride dissented from the ruling.
Check out this interview with TMS President and Chief Counsel 
For Immediate Release
Chicago—This afternoon, in a wake of national interest in the case, the Thomas More Society secured a dismissal of all charges against the first arrestee under the city’s “bubble zone” ordinance, which prevents certain types of picketing activity outside local abortion clinics. Joseph Holland, a Northwestern University graduate student, was arrested outside Planned Parenthood’s Near North Side facility on July 3 after the facility’s staff called the police and claimed he violated the ordinance by praying on the public sidewalk.
A new website from the Thomas More Society, 
For Immediate Release