Ms. Melling and Mr. Forsythe debated the parental notification case, Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, an abortion case being heard in oral argument by the Supreme Court on November 30, 2005. The case deals with a 2003 New Hampshire Parental Notification Act, which allowed minors to receive an abortion 48 hours after receiving a parent’s permission and provided an exception for minors facing life-threatening medical emergencies. A lower federal court ruled that the state law was unconstitutional because it didn’t provide an exception for non-life-threatening medical emergencies. The guests also responded to questions and comments from viewers.

Mr. Forsthye has advised New Hampshire Attorney General Kelly Ayotte who is arguing the case on the state’s behalf and is the principal author of a friend-of-the-Court brief on behalf of 20 New Hampshire legislators who passed the state’s parental notification law. The ACLU is arguing the case for Planned Parenthood and Ms. Melling is one of the lawyers working on it.