California Supreme Court Will Review Doctors' Religious Defense

The Associated Press reports that yesterday the California Supreme court agreed to review the court of appeals decision in North Coast Women's Care Medical Group v. Superior Court. The case raises the question of whether two doctors being sued by a lesbian woman for refusing to perform intrauterine insemination on her can defend on the basis of their religious beliefs. The lower court held that the doctors could introduce evidence of their religious beliefs to show that their refusal was based on the fact that the patient was unmarried, rather than on the fact she was a lesbian. (See prior posting.)