About Our Client
If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice is a national network of lawyers, law students, and advocates that believes young people deserve access to quality, confidential abortion care — without having to jump through hoops or face barriers. Forced parental involvement laws prevent people, who are under age 18, from getting that care. The judicial bypass process does not get rid of the barriers created by forced parental involvement and is itself a barrier that prevents access to abortion care.
As long as these barriers exist, it is essential that young people have access to clear, up-to-date information about the law and processes that impact them. If/When/How shares information about parental involvement laws and judicial bypass so young people know the law in their state. They also operate a legal helpline (the JB helpline) that answers questions about judicial bypass and connects young people to advocates in their state that can help them navigate the process.
There are currently 36 states in the U.S. with laws that require someone under 18 (in some cases under 17, 16, or 15) to involve a parent or legal guardian in their decision to have an abortion. Involvement can mean requiring that someone under 18 (often referred to as a legal minor) tell their parent about the abortion, or get their parent’s permission to have an abortion. These are known as parental involvement laws.
The goal of the Judicial Bypass Wiki is to make legal information more accessible to young people and their supporters and advocates, and to connect the many networks and resources across the country that exist to support young people accessing abortion care.
Project Highlights
- Tool site
- Interactive map
- Safe browsing (encrypted, quick exit button)
- Clean design
