By: Nick Sale, Gaby Hill
ROE
WADE
Parties Involved
Plaintiff:
Defendant:
Norma Leah McCorvey (Jane Roe)
Court District Attorney Henry
Wade
• Norma Leah McCorvey was a
single woman who became
pregnant. She went under the
alias Jane Roe. She wanted an
abortion but couldn’t due to
Texas laws.
• Was the man who represented
the state of Texas in the Texas
District Courts and in the U.S.
Supreme Court
Courts that had Jurisdiction
Texas District Court
U.S. Supreme Court
• The case Roe v. Wade first
went through the Texas
District Court.
• Reviewed the ruling of Roe v.
Wade.
• The court ruled that the Texas
laws on abortion was over
broadly infringing the
plaintiffs (Roe and Hallford) 9th
and 14th amendments of
privacy.
• Wade appealed to the U.S.
Court of Appeals.
• Fast Tracked to the U.S.
Supreme Court
• First heard the case on
December 13, 1971
• Reargued on October 11,1872
after other cases concerning
abortion could affect the case
Roe v. Wade
• Decision was made on January
22, 1973. 7-2 decision with Roe.
After the District Court
• The three Texas District Court Judges unanimously agreed with
Roe that Texas law prohibiting abortion was unconstitutional.
• Not being satisfied with the initial out come, Henry wade
appealed the ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals. Wade appealed
the case because he was protesting the outcome.
• The case fast tracked the U.S. Court of Appeals and went to the
U.S. Supreme Court.
Final Ruling
• The U.S. Supreme Court voted 7-2 in favor of Roe.
• The justices stated that a women's right to an abortion fell under
the right of privacy under the 9th and 14th amendment.
• The final ruling made the 9 th amendment apply to state laws. In
total, Roe v. Wade affected 46 states.
Facts
• When the case was at the Texas District Court, there was three
other cases that pertained to the topic of abortion. These cases
include Doe v. Bolton, and the prosecution of James Hallford
• In 1965 abortion was unsafe. 17% of deaths were the result of legal
abortion.
• The risk of death of medicated abortion through 63 days’ gestation is
about 1 per 100,000 procedures.
• Norma gave birth to her baby before the case was heard. She gave up the
baby for adoption.
• The case Griswold v. Connecticut gave people the right to privacy by
using the 9 th and 14th amendments.
• Norma changed her stance on abortion, becoming a pro-life speaker in
2004.
Why is it a Landmark Case?
The outcome of Roe v. Wade had major impacts on states laws
pertaining to abortion. 46 state laws had to change, giving women
the right to have an abortion during the first trimester. Furthermore,
abortion is still being argued to this very day with the arguments that
women shouldn’t take the life of an unborn child. It has become a
moral argument rather than one in the courts.
Impact on other Cases
• Harris v. McRae (1980), Hodgson v. Minnesota (1990) required young
women to have parental consent before having an abortion.
• Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey (1992) this
made women make numerous trips to an abortion provider only to face
numerous restrictions and delays.
• Stenberg v. Carhart (2000), Gonzales v. Carhart (2007), Gonzales v.
Planned Parenthood Federation of America, inc. (2007)
• Partial Birth Abortion Ban act of 2003. This is the first legislation that
didn’t state that it was necessary to involve women's health.
Citations
http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/04/us/roe-v-wade-fast-facts/
http://history1900s.about.com/od/1970s/a/Roe-V-Wade.htm
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/supremecourt/rights/landmark_roe.html
http://www.lawnix.com/cases/roe-wade.html
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/files/3013/9611/5870/Abortion_Roe_Hist
ory.pdf