A federal appeals court has ruled that Indiana can’t force death doula Lauren Richwine to get a funeral license to advise families on end-of-life options.

Richwine, who runs Death Done Differently, helps clients navigate traditional and alternative funeral and burial choices. In 2023, the state ordered her to stop, saying only licensed funeral directors could provide such guidance.

The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed, calling the law “overreach” and protecting her advice as free speech. Judge Ilana Rovner wrote that requiring a license is like using “an atom bomb to kill ants,” going far beyond public health needs.

The ruling allows Richwine to continue operating while the case returns to a lower court. She called it a “personal victory” and said it protects Hoosiers’ right to decide how to care for loved ones after death.

The case highlights frustration with Indiana’s strict funeral laws, which critics say favor the multibillion-dollar funeral industry and restrict alternatives like death doulas.