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Supreme Court Overturns Roe v. Wade

Landmark Decision Eliminates Constitutional Right to Abortion

Key Points

* The Supreme Court's landmark decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that established the constitutional right to abortion. * The 6-to-3 ruling returns the authority to regulate abortion to individual states. * Dissenting justices argued that the decision undermines the principle of stare decisis and infringes on women's fundamental rights.

Background

In 2018, Mississippi enacted a law banning most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The Jackson Women's Health Organization, the only abortion clinic in Mississippi, challenged the law in federal court. The Supreme Court agreed to review the case, which presented the question of whether the Constitution protects the right to abortion.

In a majority opinion authored by Justice Samuel Alito, the Court held that the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion. The decision overturned Roe v. Wade, a 1973 ruling that had established a federal constitutional right to abortion based on the right to privacy. The Court also overturned Planned Parenthood v. Casey, a 1992 ruling that had reaffirmed Roe but allowed states to regulate abortion in certain ways.

Implications

The Dobbs decision has significant implications for abortion access in the United States. As of June 2022, 13 states have "trigger laws" in place that will ban or severely restrict abortion following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. These states include Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah.

The decision has also sparked legal challenges in several states, with some courts blocking trigger laws and others upholding them. The ultimate impact of Dobbs on abortion access will depend on the outcome of these legal battles and on the actions of individual states.