Roe
v. Wade is the historic Supreme Court decision overturning a
Texas interpretation of abortion law and making abortion legal in the
United States. The Roe v. Wade decision held that a woman, with her
doctor, could choose abortion in earlier months of pregnancy without
restriction, and with restrictions in later months, based on the right
to privacy.
Date
of the Roe v. Wade decision:
January
22, 1973.
Effect
of the Roe v. Wade decision:
All state
laws limiting women's access to abortions during the first trimester of
pregnancy were invalidated by Roe v. Wade. State laws limiting such
access during the second trimester were upheld only when the
restrictions were for the purpose of protecting the health of the
pregnant woman. Roe v. Wade legalized abortion in the United States,
which was not legal at all in many states and was limited by law in
others.
Basis of the Roe v. Wade
decision:
Roe v. Wade
was decided
primarily on the Ninth Amendment to the United States Constitution, a
part of the Bill of Rights. The Court's decision in this case was that
the Ninth Amendment, in stating that "the enumeration in the
Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or
disparage others retained by the people," protected a person's right to
privacy.
Who
Roe and Wade were:
The alias "Jane Roe" was
used for Norma McCorvey, on whose behalf the suit was originally filed,
alleging that the abortion law in Texas violated her constitutional
rights and the rights of other women.. The defendant was the district
attorney of Dallas County, Texas, Henry B. Wade.http://womenshistory.about.com/od/abortionuslegal/p/roe_v_wade.htm
Who
argued the case:
Sarah Weddington and
Linda Coffee were the plaintiff's lawyers. John Tolle, Jay Floyd and
Robert Flowers were the defendant's lawyers.http://womenshistory.about.com/od/abortionuslegal/p/roe_v_wade.htm
Who
voted for and against the Roe v. Wade decision: