Roe v. Wade

Roe v. Wade is a landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court on the issue of abortion. It was decided simultaneously with a companion case, Doe v. Bolton. The Court ruled 7–2 that a right to privacy under the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment extended to a woman's decision to have an abortion, but that this right must be balanced against the state's interests in regulating abortions: protecting women's health and protecting the potentiality of human life. Arguing that these state interests became stronger over the course of a pregnancy, the Court resolved this balancing test by tying state regulation of abortion to the third trimester of pregnancy.

Pronunciation

Roe v. Wade: /roʊ v. weɪd/

Etymology

The case name is derived from the pseudonym Jane Roe used to protect the identity of the plaintiff, Norma McCorvey, and the defendant Henry Wade, the district attorney of Dallas County, Texas where McCorvey resided.

Related Terms

• Abortion
• United States Supreme Court
• Due Process Clause
• 14th Amendment
• Doe v. Bolton
• Third trimester of pregnancy

See Also

• Planned Parenthood v. Casey
• Griswold v. Connecticut
• Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt

References

• Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973)
• Doe v. Bolton, 410 U.S. 179 (1973)

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