Will the Supreme Court Revisit These Landmark Cases?
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito wrote the majority opinion in the case that overruled Roe v. Wade. In a concurring opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas suggested the Supreme Court should also reconsider the landmark cases of “Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell.”
Griswold v. State of Connecticut
This 1965 ruling affirmed a constitutional right for married couples to use contraception. It was cited in the Roe v. Wade decision.
Lawrence v. Texas
In this 2003 ruling, the Supreme Court invalidated state laws that criminalized sexual conduct between two consenting adults of the same sex.
Obergefell v. Hodges
The Court also found bans on same-sex marriage to be unconstitutional in this 2015 ruling.
The Due Process Clause
The decision in these cases was based on the Fourteenth Amendment clause that says no state “shall deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” Thomas holds the view that the clause only protects the right to legal recourse, not substantive rights altogether.
Roe Overturned
On June 24 the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, eliminating the constitutional right to abortion. The 6-3 ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization marked the culmination of anti-abortion efforts and moved the issue of abortion rights to states. The decision was met with celebrations and outrage, and it launched a new chapter in the fight over abortion. In addition, it raised concerns about other rights seemingly threatened by the ruling.
What Was the Issue in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization?
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© mark reinstein/Shutterstock.com
What Was Overturned?
article / Politics, Law & Government
Franz Jantzen/Supreme Court of the United States
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