Chief Justice Roberts Gets His First Big Case

The abortion issue will be heard yet again before the Supreme Court:

The Supreme Court on Wednesday will hear its first major abortion case in five years, but what justices will ultimately decide is far from clear.

Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood of Northern New England concerns a New Hampshire parental notification law that the First Circuit Court of Appeals found unconstitutional because it did not contain an exception for the mother's health and contained insufficient provisions to save the mother's life.

The case has the potential to leave a huge footprint on abortion law across the country and is being argued less than seven weeks before Senate confirmation hearings are held for Samuel Alito, President Bush's nominee to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

Wouldn't it have been nice if President Bush had nominated Sam Alito first, rather than go through the whole Harriet Miers thing? If he had, Alito would probably be on the court now instead of O'Connor. With O'Connor participating in the decision, it's unlikely that this parental notification law will be upheld.