Judge Dismisses Satanic Temple’s Lawsuit Against Idaho Abortion Ban

A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit filed by The Satanic Temple challenging Idaho’s abortion ban, delivering a major victory for the state’s pro-life protections.

The ruling rejected claims that the law violates the group’s religious rights.

U.S. District Judge David C. Nye ruled that The Satanic Temple lacked standing to sue because it failed to show any of its members had suffered a concrete injury from Idaho’s Defense of Life Act, which prohibits abortions except to prevent the death of the mother or in cases of rape or incest reported to law enforcement.

“The Satanic Temple has not alleged that any of its members have been pregnant and denied an abortion in Idaho, or that any member intends to become pregnant and seek an abortion in Idaho,” Nye wrote in his 19-page decision.

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“TST’s claims lack merit and could not be saved by any amendment,” he added.

The ruling dismisses the case with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled in its current form.

Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador celebrated the decision as a defense of both the state’s sovereignty and the sanctity of unborn life.

“Idaho’s pro-life laws protect both mothers and unborn children, and this decision confirms those protections are constitutionally sound,” Attorney General Raúl Labrador said in a press release. “The Satanic Temple’s attempt to manufacture constitutional violations out of disagreement with Idaho’s values has been rejected at every level. We’ve defended Idaho’s laws through every stage of this litigation, and we will continue protecting the right of Idaho’s elected representatives to defend life.”

The Satanic Temple had argued that abortion is a religious ritual under its tenets and that Idaho’s ban infringed on its members’ First Amendment rights. The group sought to exempt its adherents from the law, claiming the procedure aligns with its principles of bodily autonomy and scientific understanding.

The case previous went to an appeals court, which also ruled against the Satanists.

Judge Margaret McKeown, who wrote the opinion for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, did not address any of the arguments. Instead, she wrote that The Satanic Temple failed to demonstrate that the law had any effect on its members.

“TST’s concern for its members is evident—but it still bears the burden to demonstrate an injury in fact,” she wrote.