Health Care & Hospital Law
Oct. 20, 2025
Doctors shouldn't have to choose between their oath and their jobs
A recent lawsuit in San Francisco Superior Court, Harrison v. Dignity Health, exposes how legal uncertainty after Dobbs and Moyle -- combined with restrictive Catholic hospital policies -- has left California doctors torn between obeying institutional mandates or fulfilling their ethical duty to provide life-saving care to pregnant patients.
Christian R. Jagusch
Medicine Negligence Counsel
Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger
Phone: (415) 906-3764
Email: cjagusch@walkuplawoffice.com
UC Hastings COL; San Francisco CA
A recent lawsuit filed in the Superior Court of San Francisco highlights the struggle for reproductive rights in California and across the nation. Faced with legal ambiguity, ethical obligations and unjust hospital policies, doctors face a dilemma: put the patient first and face the repercussion or violate their duties as a physician by refusing life-saving care.
According to the lawsuit, Rachel Harrison's water broke at 17 weeks' gestation. After arrivi...
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