In the Matter of Moe

A sixteen year old unmarried woman petitioned the Superior Court under the provisions of the second paragraph of G. L. c. 112, § 12S (as appearing in St. 1980, c. 240), for an order authorizing an abortion on her without the consent of or notice to either of her parents. A judge of that court held a brief hearing on Friday, October 19, 1984, in the course of which he learned that the petitioner was approximately fifteen weeks pregnant (according to an ultrasound diagnosis) and that she proposed to have a vacuum (sometimes referred to as a “Delation] & E[vacuation]”) procedure performed on an…