She was in labor. Then she was in court.

Cherise Doyley went to a Florida hospital to give birth. Instead, she found herself on a video call with a judge, surrounded by doctors and lawyers, being asked to justify her own medical decisions while in active labor.

Her choice was simple: she did not consent to a C-section unless it became absolutely necessary.

For that, the hospital turned to the courts.

From her hospital bed, without a lawyer or advocate, she was forced to defend her right to make decisions about her own body. A judge ultimately allowed that surgery could be performed without her consent in an emergency.

No matter where someone stands on medical decisions, one principle should be clear.

No person should be forced into a major medical procedure against their will.

The right to refuse medical treatment is a cornerstone of personal liberty. Courts have long recognized that competent adults have the right to make their own healthcare decisions, even when those decisions carry risk.

Pregnancy should not erase that right.

This case raises urgent concerns about whether pregnant women are being treated differently under the law, and whether their autonomy is being overridden in ways that would not be accepted in any other medical context.

We are calling on Florida lawmakers and federal leaders to take action.

Clear protections must be established to ensure that no patient is forced into medical procedures without informed consent. Pregnant women must be guaranteed access to legal counsel and patient advocacy in any situation where their rights are challenged. And safeguards must ensure that courts are not used to override personal medical decisions except under the most narrowly defined and truly necessary circumstances.

This is not about one case.

It is about whether any person can be compelled into surgery while asking for their rights to be respected.

No one should have to go to court to defend their body while in labor.

That is a line that should never be crossed.