A Clark County District Court judge has denied Planned Parenthood Mar Monte’s request for a preliminary injunction to block enforcement of a Nevada law requiring parental notification when a minor seeks an abortion. The law, originally enacted in 1985 but largely unenforced for decades, mandates that physicians notify a parent or guardian before performing an abortion on an unmarried or unemancipated minor under 18, unless a court grants a judicial bypass.
The law had been set to go into effect on April 30, following changes in federal abortion protections after the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade. Planned Parenthood initially succeeded in temporarily blocking the law while its appeal was pending, but that block was lifted in July after federal appellate intervention, allowing the law’s immediate enforcement.
Planned Parenthood and a physician, identified as “Dr. Doe,” argued that the law is unconstitutional, vague, and could subject providers to criminal liability. They also argued the judicial bypass process could delay access to abortion, forcing minors to carry unwanted pregnancies. However, Judge Erika Mendoza ruled that the plaintiffs had not demonstrated a likelihood of success on their legal arguments, citing issues of standing and ripeness, as well as on the substance of their claims.
The parental notification law prohibits physicians from knowingly performing abortions for minors unless a parent or guardian is notified in person or, if that is not possible after reasonable effort, by certified mail. Planned Parenthood has expressed concern that the law will restrict access to reproductive healthcare for young people in Nevada.
The Archdiocese of Las Vegas welcomed the decision, stating that it affirms Catholic teaching on parental responsibility and the dignity of family life and unborn children.
Planned Parenthood Mar Monte has not yet announced its next steps following the ruling.
