June 2, 2005


judge refuses to delay medical records seizure


a marion county judge on wednesday denied a request from planned parenthood of indiana to delay the implementation of his ruling allowing the state to seize medical records of clinic patients younger than 14.


Judge kenneth h. Johnson of marion superior court found that a delay was not warranted because of the great public interest in the reporting and investigation of child abuse.


"child neglect and abuse have become a pandemic in our state," he wrote.


The state's medicaid fraud control unit sought the records as part of an investigation into a complaint that planned parenthood was not reporting instances of sexual activity by juveniles. In indiana, any child younger than 14 who has had sex is considered a victim of molestation.


Planned parenthood is expected to ask the indiana court of appeals for a stay of johnson's tuesday decision.