Wisconsin DOJ asks US Supreme Court to take abortion case

MADISON — The Wisconsin Department of Justice has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review a decision striking down a law that requires abortion providers obtain admitting privileges at nearby hospitals.

Planned Parenthood and Affiliated Medical Services filed a lawsuit arguing the 2013 Republican-backed law amounts to an unconstitutional restriction on abortion. They argue abortion providers at AMS' Milwaukee clinic can't get such privileges, leading to longer waits at Planned Parenthood clinics.

The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found the law unconstitutional in November.

DOJ attorneys filed a petition with the high court on Tuesday seeking review. They argued that the appellate court should have upheld the law since most abortion providers were able to obtain admitting privileges and providers who didn't get them didn't make diligent efforts to obtain them.