No Free Exercise Violation In Furnishing "Morning After" Pill To Minor

In Anspach v. City of Philadelphia, (USDC ED PA, 6/27/2005), the federal district court rejected parents claim that their Free Exercise of Religion was violated when a city-operated health clinic furnished their 16-year-old daughter (at her request) with the "morning after" pill. Among other things, parents failed to claim that their daughter was forced to take the pills, or that she was prevented from consulting with her parents or religious advisors, had she desired to do so. They also failed to allege that she was in fact pregnant at the time. The court also rejected other constitutional claims based on rights of parental guidance and family privacy.