Abortion and the Supreme Court
In 1973, the Supreme Court declared that, except under certain conditions, states may not prohibit a woman's right to have an abortion during the first six months of pregnancy. This decision affected thirty-one states' antiabortion laws. It all began in 1970 when a Texan waitress challenged a state law that made abortion a criminal offense. A woman calling herself "Jane Roe", the plaintiff, was denied an abortion under the law and she sued Dallas County District Attorney Henry Wade, the defendant. The Supreme Court ruled that the Texas law violated a woman's right to privacy, which was protected by the 14th Amendment to the Constitution and by several parts of the Bill of Rights. The 14th Amendment in the Constitution states that no State shall deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law. So how is it legal for these states to make it possible so women cannot have abortions. Depriving them of an abortion would be depriving them of possible life and property (if you consider an unborn baby property of the mother). The court said that states may not interfere with a woman's decision to have an abortion. It also ruled that states may regulate abortions during the second trimester only to protect a woman's health. This case had a great effect on more than half of the United States. This case was and is very important to society today. More and more women are getting abortions because they are safer to do. Although many more Pro-life (anti-abortion) groups are becoming involved in stopping abortion clinics. If the outcome of this case had been any different the world would be a very different place. If abortion had been totally outlawed then many people would give themselves abortions, even killing themselves in the act. The population would be in a dramatic increase right now and in the future the world would be very overly populated. In the far, far future if no one was allowed abortions there would be many unwanted babies and illegal