Sarah Stewart wins Republican race to lead Alabama Supreme Court, weeks after frozen embryo ruling
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Republicans in Alabama chose Justice Sarah Stewart on Tuesday as their nominee to lead the state Supreme Court, after the justices vaulted into the national spotlight last month for their decision to recognize frozen embryos as children.
Stewart defeated Bryan Taylor, a former state senator and legal adviser to two governors, to secure the GOP nomination. She will face Circuit Judge Greg Griffin, a Democrat from Montgomery, in November. The current chief justice is retiring due to age limits.
Stewart was among the justices who ruled couples could pursue lawsuits for the wrongful death of a minor child and their frozen embryos were destroyed in a fertility clinic accident.
The court’s decision touched off a furor and raised concerns about civil liabilities for fertility clinics. Women in Alabama saw their appointments canceled and their path to parenthood put in doubt after three major clinics paused IVF services in response to the decision. Nationally, Democrats sought to rally their base by portraying it as an example of extreme conservative positions in the aftermath Roe v. Wade being overturned.
Alabama lawmakers have been debating legislation to shield clinics from legal liability, including legislation passed by Senate and House committees on the day of the primary.
Stewart joined a concurring opinion written by Associate Justice Greg Shaw that the wrongful death law covers “an unborn child with no distinction between in vitro or in utero.” Shaw added that all three branches of state government are bound to follow a provision in the Alabama Constitution in 2018 saying it is state policy to recognize “the rights of unborn children.”
By citing verses from the Bible and Christian theologians in his concurring opinion, Chief Justice Tom Parker alarmed advocates for church-state separation, while delighting religious conservatives who oppose abortion.
In Alabama, the chief justice serves on the state’s highest court, and also serves as the administrative head of the state court system.
Parker cannot run again because state law prohibits judges from being elected or appointed after age 70.
Alex Padilla recounts his removal from DHS news conference in emotional Senate speech
The California Democrat returned to the Senate floor Tuesday to warn that the Trump administrations response to immigration protests in Los Angeles should "shock the conscience of our country."
Alfred Brendel, the cerebral pianist with a dry wit, dies at 94
Routinely called a "musician's musician," the pianist had an atypical career that even he called mysterious. He spent it returning to a handful of favorite composers, with acclaimed results.
Sabrina Carpenter joins the ‘song of the summer’ race, just in time
"Manchild," the first single from Sabrina Carpenter's forthcoming album Man's Best Friend, enters this week's Hot 100 singles chart at No. 1, making a late-breaking bid for "song of the summer" status in the process.
Kraft Heinz to remove artificial dyes from all products, like Jell-O and Kool-Aid
By 2027, Kraft Heinz says all artificial food dyes will be replaced with natural colors. The move comes two months after federal officials called on food companies to stop using synthetic dyes.
Leader of top FEMA disaster coordination office resigns, as Trump moves to eliminate agency
Jeremy Greenberg was in charge of coordinating federal help after hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes and other emergencies. He has resigned from leading FEMA's National Response Coordination Center.
How Trump’s travel ban could disrupt the way knowledge about health is shared
Global health specialists talk about the consequences of the full or partial ban on travel to the U.S. from 19 countries.
