Key Facts
- Year Decided
- 1973
- Vote
- 7-2
- Category
- Privacy
- Chief Justice
- Warren Burger
Background
Norma McCorvey ("Jane Roe") challenged a Texas law banning abortion.
The Constitutional Question
Does the Constitution recognize a right to privacy broad enough to encompass abortion?
The Decision
Justice Blackmun found the right to privacy included the right to choose an abortion.
The Dissent
Justice White called it "an exercise of raw judicial power."
Impact & Legacy
Shaped American politics for nearly 50 years.
Ultimately overturned by Dobbs (2022).
Key Quotes
“This right of privacy... is broad enough to encompass a woman's decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy.”