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Florida Judge Allows Emergency C-Section Over Laboring Woman’s Objection via Zoom
The judge did not order surgery immediately, but allowed the hospital to proceed without consent if an emergency arose, ProPublica reports.
- In September 2024, Cherise Doyley, a pregnant mother of three in Jacksonville, Florida, faced a virtual court hearing from her hospital bed after refusing a C-section during 12 hours of labor.
- Florida Health Hospital staff sought a court order after Doyley, a professional birthing doula, rejected a C-section, citing complications from prior surgeries and her preference for a vaginal delivery.
- Without legal representation, Doyley testified before Judge Michael Kalil, arguing for her autonomy: "I did tell them that I want to live." Hospital staff had wheeled a tablet into her room for the Zoom proceedings.
- Although the judge denied an immediate C-section order, he ruled the hospital could perform the surgery if an emergency arose. Hours later, after the baby's heart rate dropped, Doyley underwent a C-section.
- Cases like this increased following the 2022 overturn of Roe v. Wade, with nearly 30 states now allowing hospitals to invalidate pregnant patients' advance directives. Maternal mortality rates are 3.5 times higher for Black women than White counterparts.
9 Articles
9 Articles
In the middle of labor, Cherise Doyley learned she wasn't just a patient—she was actually a defender. Amy Yurkanin of ProPublica reports that after the Jacksonville...
A pregnant woman from the U.S. landed in court during labor. Doctors wanted to force a caesarean while she had her concerns.
Hospital Forces Woman in Active Labor to Attend Zoom Court for Refusing C-Section
Cherise Doyley was forced to appear in Zoom court from her hospital bed, while in active labor, because she refused to have a C-section. A judge ruled the hospital could perform the surgery in an emergency without her consent.
'Craziest Thing I've Ever Seen': Black Woman Forced to Attend Florida Court Hearing from Hospital Bed After Refusing C-Section During 12-Hour Labor
A Black mother of three went to the hospital to give birth to her fourth child — but was shocked to find that 12 hours into her labor, she was forced to attend a virtual court hearing to decide whether she should undergo a C-section against her will. Cherise Doyley was admitted to the University of Florida Health in downtown Jacksonville last September after her water broke, ProPublica reported. As an experienced birthing doula, she had a plan f…
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