Thomas More Society Files U.S. Supreme Court Petition for Writ of Certiorari to Defend "Choose Life" License Plates

Millions of Dollars for Pregnancy Centers At Risk From Court's Decision

Heartbeat International, Care Net, Consistent Life, and Others File Amicus Briefs in Support of Thomas More Society's Petition

Thomas More Society has filed a petition for writ of certiorari in the United States Supreme Court in Choose Life Illinois v. Jesse White. Enlisting the aid of Special Counsel Alan Untereiner, Thomas More Society has "put the band back together" for another U.S. Supreme Court appeal, this time to defend Americans' rights to express their pro-adoption "Choose Life" views in public square.

"We are committed to fight this battle to the finish," said TMS President & Chief Counsel Tom Brejcha, "It makes no sense that suppression of the 'Choose Life' specialty plate in Arizona was condemned by the Ninth Circuit US Court of Appeals as 'viewpoint discrimination' in violation of the First Amendment rights of Arizona's citizens, whereas that same suppression in Illinois was held a valid exercise of state power."

For more information on the "Choose Life" license plate litigation, please click here.

Thomas More Society Brings Hate Crimes Claims in Rockford Against Abortion Facility Owner & Another Local Man

On Friday, April 3, 2009, the Chicago-based Thomas More Society filed civil Hate Crime charges in an Amended Complaint against an abortion clinic proprietor and ally in federal district court in Rockford, Illinois as part of an ongoing court battle.

Rockford resident Keith A. Sterkeson physically threatened and then attacked Eric Nelson and Kevin Rilott while calling Nelson, “A N*****, a N*****.  You are a worthless degenerate N*****.  Oh, you are a N*****! You are a degenerate and empty skull, thinking Jesus is going to save you. You’re a N*****.  Your mother was a N*****.”

Read more in the TMS press release on this shocking development.

Click below to view one of the tirades against pro-life witnesses at Rockford's lone abortion facility. [WARNING: The video below is of not safe for work viewing or for viewing around children - discretion is advised.]

Thomas More Society Defends Seniors at Risk for Euthanasia in Montana

Special Counsel, Paul Linton, Crafts Key Amicus Brief in Hopes of Swaying the MT Supreme Court to Uphold Life and Reject Arguments That There is a "Constitutional Right" to Kill Oneself

Thomas More Society has filed a brief in the Montana Supreme Court in Montana v. Baxter, a case where a trial judge found a constitutional right to kill oneself in the Montana Constitution. TMS is proud to represent Physicians for Compassionate Care Education Foundation, an association of health care professionals dedicated to preserving the traditional relation of the physician and patient as one in which the physician’s primary task is to heal when possible, comfort always and never intentionally harm.

In the brief, Thomas More Society attorneys argue that: "The legalization of physician-assisted suicide would undermine trust in the patient-physician relationship; change the role of the physician in society from the traditional one of healer to that of one who facilitates killing; and endanger the value that society places on life, especially for those who are most vulnerable and who are near the end of life."

UPDATE: Illinois FOCA dead ... for now ... due to massive pro-life response! Fight to continue later in the year ...

Thomas More Society Fights State FOCA Bills

TMS Alerts Pregnancy Centers to Special Danger in Illinois FOCA Bill -- Your State May Be Next!

Because of the incredible uproar over the federal "Freedom of Choice Act" (FOCA), anti-life forces have now spawned a new strategy - pass FOCA at the state level. The most pernicious of these new bills is Illinois House Bill 2354. HB 2354 would repeal parental notice, spend millions of tax dollars for abortions and condoms, force comprehensive sex ed - including "Heather has two mommies" - on kindergartners, and shield abortionists from civil and criminal penalty for botched abortions. If that weren't enough, it could require Christian school nurses and crisis pregnancy center counselors to obtain abortions for high school students.

Thomas More Society attorneys are hard at work providing legal analysis and support to Illinois legislators and the statewide coalition of pro-life groups now working together to defeat "Illinois FOCA."

Statewide leaders knew this measure was destructive and anti-life, but they didn't know "the rest of the story" until an analysis by TMS revealed provisions of the bill that could cripple Illinois pregnancy centers.

TMS is totally dedicated to helping others in Illinois understand this bill so that they can defeat it - and to putting together a model on how to understand, analyze, and defeat these state-level FOCA bills across the country.

Please visit http://www.stopillinoisfoca.com for more information on this vital initiative.  If you live in Illinois, please call your legislators and urge them to vote no on Illinois FOCA - HB 2354.

Murderous Abortion Facility Owner Arrested by Miami Police

Prosecutor Refuses to File Murder Charges in Face of Clear Evidence, TMS President Tom Brejcha says, "Outrageous!"

After prompting from the Thomas More Society, which filed a lawsuit on behalf of Shanice Denise Osbourne, an infant girl who was born alive and murdered in at a Miami-area abortion facility, authorities have finally arrested (video from the Miami's CBS affiliate) the main perpetrator of the murder, abortion facility owner Belikis Gonzales. However, the Miami Dade prosecutor has refused to bring murder charges against the facility owner, even in the face of a police affidavit, detailing the murder.

Thomas More Society has retained the prominent Miami personal injury attorney, Tom Pennekamp, to prepare and prosecute its wrongful death case, which alleges that Shanice was born alive and then murdered by abortion clinic owner Belkis Gonzalez. Thirteen defendants (including Gonzalez, abortionist Dr. Pierre Jean-Jacques Renelique and their conglomerate of four South Florida abortion clinics) have been sued for unlicensed and unauthorized medical practice, botched abortions, evasive tactics, false medical records and the killing, hiding and disposing of the baby.

"This case will trumpet to the world that abortion clinics are places of barbarism where mothers as well as their babies are at serious risk," says Brejcha. "Moreover, this case should put some sharp teeth into the Born Alive Infant Protection Act. As we struggle to end the scourge of legal abortion in this country, we must hold the line against infanticide!"

For more information about this shocking case, please read the complaint filed in Miami, our press release, and coverage by the Associated Press and LifeSiteNews.

Incredible Success! First-Ever Catholic Mass on Federal Plaza in Chicago Celebrated for Overflow Crowd by Bishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller -- in wind chill of 5 degrees!

Over 400 hundred people attended an outdoor Catholic Mass on Federal Plaza in Chicago at noon on Friday, December 12, 2008. The Thomas More Society provided legal and technical assistance to the event as part of its "Religion in the Public Square Project."

Security was tight because of the nearby presence of President-Elect Obama. You see, when the Thomas More Society secured permits back in June for Bishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller, M.Sp.S., to celebrate the first-ever Catholic Mass on the site, little did we know that Federal Plaza would become the home of the Transition Office for President-Elect Barack Obama!

The Thomas More Society "Religion in the Public Square Project" drives us to provide legal assistance to religious groups to express their Faith in our nations' public squares. And, after doing some research, we realized that the President-Elect himself has stated that, "Secularists are wrong when they ask believers to leave their religion at the door before entering the public square."

We can all agree on this point: the First Amendment demands that, if a political group can have a rally on a public square, people of Faith can have a religious observance on that same public square.

The Thomas More Society stands ready to assist religious groups in defending their First Amendment right to express their Faith in the Public Square.

Thomas More Society Defends Right of Citizens to Express Religious Faith in Public Through Nativity Scenes

First-Ever Nativity Scene to be Erected inside Illinois State Capitol this Christmas

Update: The Secretary of State has moved the Nativity Scene from its original location -- in an alcove -- to the very center of the Capitol dome, immediately next to the Governor's "Holiday Tree"

Update 2: Missing the point that Faith is not something to be kept quiet or under wraps in our homes and churches, Newsweek/Washington Post asks, "Why make Jesus, Mary and Joseph share a stage on the road when they can star in so many places at home?" [Editor's note: by their nature, stars are meant to shine brightly for all to see!]

In the last few years, groups like the ACLU have successfully intimidated many villages, cities and municipalities into thinking expressions of faith displayed on public property are unconstitutional. Now, the Thomas More Society is striking back to defend Americans' rights to express their religious faith in the public square. For years, TMS has defended the right of Chicagoans to place an Easter Cross in Daley Plaza, and this year TMS is representing a local group to place a Nativity Scene inside the Illinois State Capitol -- for the first time in the Capitol's recorded history!

Click here to read more about this holy and historic event.

Special Note about the "St. Thomas More Society" of Philadelphia:

We have received a number of calls about the "St. Thomas More Society" of Philadelphia, which is honoring Sen. Robert Casey with its "Thomas More Award." Please know that we are not affiliated in any way with this group or its award.

Our guiding principles at the Thomas More Society, Pro-Life Law Center are the same as those of our namesake, Thomas More, who refused to compromise his conscience - even to the point of death - in favor of what was popular or what his sovereign, King Henry VIII, unjustly demanded. Like him, we stand firm in defense of human life, at all its stages, without hesitation and without apology.

Special Counsel Paul Linton's New Book, Abortion Under State Constitutions, Featured by Time Magazine Online - "Infinitely More Finely Argued" Than Existing Scholarship

The Thomas More Society is proud to announce the publication of Paul Linton's new masterwork, Abortion Under State Constitutions. The book is due to become the seminal work in the study of the abortion jurisprudence of the 50 states. Linton's "careful analysis reveals a darker picture for pro-choice advocates." Read more from Time.com.

Tom Brejcha Defends Pharmacists' Rights of Conscience on Page 1 of the Washington Post: "The United States was founded on the idea that people act on their conscience."

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Legal Analysis: Eighth Circuit Court Lifts Preliminary Injunction against South Dakota Informed Consent Law

"We're not surprised that the 8th Circuit sent this informed consent law back to the district court for a full review.  It's vitally important that women know the full extent of the risks of and alternatives to abortion," said Thomas Brejcha, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Society.  "What is surprising is the statement of one of the dissenting judges:  'The philosophical or religious question of when a human life comes into existence is distinct from the scientific question of whether a fetus is biologically a member of the species.'  Claiming that you can be a member of the human race without being a human being is more than ridiculous.   It is a retreat for human rights and sounds a lot like the arguments made to support slavery 150 years ago.  It shows how far some judges will go to protect abortion."

Click here for Special Counsel Paul Linton's incisive analysis of Planned Parenthood et al. v. Rounds et al.

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