Federal Judge Extends Protection of Mobile Pregnancy Services for Six Months 

Contact: Tom Ciesielka, 312-422-1333, tc@tcpr.net

CHICAGO, March 28, 2013 /Christian Newswire/ -- Yesterday, Federal Judge Samuel Der-Yeghiayan extended his March 13, 2013 Temporary Restraining Order for six months. Attorneys for TLC, which offers mobile pregnancy services, and the City of Elgin reached an agreement for extension of the Order while the parties considered further legal proceedings or a political solution. This extension allows TLC to continue serving the young women of Elgin at least through August 21, 2013.

"The TLC team is grateful to be back serving the young women of Elgin," said Mauck & Baker attorney, Noel Sterett. "We think Elgin has chosen the better path in not pushing to reinstate the barrier that it has erected which has kept young women in the dark."

On March 13, 2013, Der-Yeghiayan told the City that TLC was likely to succeed on the merits of its case, and that the young women of Elgin were likely to suffer irreparable harm if Elgin's zoning restrictions were applied; they would be denied access to the free services and support that TLC's mobile ultrasound facility provides. 

"We hope the current administration is listening to its citizens and the many voices, including a number of current city council candidates, who have come out in support of TLC and its services to the young women of Elgin," said attorney John Mauck. "As the court pointed out, Elgin's resources are probably best spent elsewhere during these times of economic hardship. Thus, we wonder why Elgin is spending money to educate young people while at the same time some officials are devoting so many resources to keeping young women from seeing their babies."

TLC's mobile pregnancy services have returned to the usual locations at the Evangelical Covenant Church of Elgin on Fridays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and at JB's Pub & Bar on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons.

View the Temporary Restraining Order here and the original Complaint here.

For Elgin City Council press inquiries, contact Cheri Murphy, Assistant to the City Manager for Community Engagement, at 847-931-5667 or Murphy_c@cityofelgin.org.