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A new investigation from ProPublica is raising urgent questions about medical autonomy — and who ultimately has the final say during childbirth.
According to the outlet, at least two Black women in Florida were forced into courtroom-style hearings while in labor after refusing cesarean sections, with judges brought in to decide whether doctors could override their decisions.
One of those women, Cherise Doyley, was in active labor at a Jacksonville hospital in September 2024 when staff initiated an emergency legal hearing. “It’s a real judge in there?” Doyley asked at the start of the virtual proceeding.
Doyley, a professional doula, had previously undergone three C-sections — including one that resulted in hemorrhaging — and wanted to avoid another unless it became medically necessary. Doctors raised concerns about the risk of uterine rupture and sought court intervention.
As the hearing unfolded, Doyley pushed back on what she saw as an attempt to take control of her body. “I have 20 white people against me,” she said during the proceeding, adding that she believed her rights were being taken "by force."
After hours of testimony, a judge ruled that she could continue laboring — but authorized doctors to operate if conditions worsened. ProPublica reports she ultimately underwent a C-section after doctors said her baby showed signs of distress.
Her case was not isolated.
The outlet also reported on Brianna Bennett, another Black woman in Florida who faced a similar situation in 2023. After declining a C-section during a prolonged labor, hospital officials sought a court order.
During the hearing, Bennett questioned who would support her through recovery if she underwent surgery. “Are any of you gonna help me bathe or shower?” she asked. “Are you gonna help lift the baby?” ProPublica reported.
A judge ultimately approved the procedure, and she underwent a C-section despite her objections.
The state attorney involved in the case defended that decision. Jack Campbell, the top prosecutor for Florida’s 2nd Judicial Circuit, told ProPublica he believed the intervention was necessary to protect both Bennett and her child.
“I’m real comfortable with what we did here,” Campbell said. "I hate the fact that she’s upset about it."
The reporting highlights a rare but legally complex reality: while patients generally have the right to refuse medical treatment, pregnancy is one of the few circumstances where courts have allowed those decisions to be overridden.
“There aren’t any other instances where you would invade the body of one person in order to save the life of another,” Lois Shepherd, a bioethics expert at the University of Virginia, told ProPublica.
Legal experts say these cases are tied to a broader framework known as fetal personhood — the idea that a fetus can have rights that, in some cases, outweigh those of the pregnant patient.
That concept has been building for decades. ProPublica reports that court-ordered C-sections date back to the 1980s, with more recent momentum following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Florida has been at the center of that shift. Courts in the state have, in certain cases, allowed officials to compel medical treatment during pregnancy — even though similar authority is not granted in most other medical situations.
The investigation also highlights broader disparities. Both Doyley and Bennett are Black women, a detail advocates say reflects ongoing concerns about race, power, and decision-making in maternal health care.
For some, the cases underscore a deeper question about autonomy — and who ultimately has control in the delivery room.
As ProPublica’s reporting shows, in rare but high-stakes situations, that decision may not rest with the person giving birth.
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