Abortion care provider drops lawsuit against Attorney General Rokita as focus shifts to licensing board

Indiana abortion care provider Dr. Caitlin Bernard dropped her lawsuit against Attorney General Todd Rokita Thursday.

The suit sought to halt Rokita’s investigation of Bernard. The doctor’s legal team said it’s now focusing on her case in front of the Indiana Medical Licensing Board.

Rokita began investigating consumer complaints against Bernard as he went on television and accused her, without evidence, of breaking the law around an abortion she provided to a 10-year-old rape victim from Ohio.

Bernard filed a lawsuit in Indiana court trying to halt that investigation after Rokita sought access to the patient’s full medical record.

A county judge last week ruled that Rokita violated Indiana law by breaking confidentiality. But the judge also refused to halt the Attorney General’s investigation because Rokita had already officially filed a complaint against Bernard with the state medical licensing board.

READ MORE: Rokita files complaint with medical licensing board against abortion care provider

Join the conversation and sign up for the Indiana Two-Way. Text "Indiana" to 73224. Your comments and questions in response to our weekly text help us find the answers you need on statewide issues.

For that same reason, Bernard’s legal team said it’s now dropping the lawsuit, focused instead on defending the doctor in front of the licensing board.

Contact reporter Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.