One of the most controversial and landmark decisions in the history of the United States is the Roe v. Wade case. The decision, which was made in 1973, allowed women to have the right to choose whether or not to have an abortion. While this case is widely known, many may not know who the Roe v. Wade judge was.
The Judge Behind the Roe v. Wade Case
The Roe v. Wade case was heard by the Supreme Court, and the judge who presided over the case was Justice Harry Blackmun. However, the lawyer who argued the case before the Supreme Court was Sarah Weddington, a young attorney from Texas.
Weddington was just 26 years old when she argued the case before the Supreme Court. She was one of the first women to graduate from the University of Texas School of Law and had been working on women's rights issues for several years before taking on the Roe v. Wade case.
The Roe v. Wade Case
The Roe v. Wade case began in 1970 when a woman named Norma McCorvey, who went by the pseudonym "Jane Roe," filed a lawsuit against Henry Wade, the district attorney of Dallas County, Texas. McCorvey wanted to have an abortion, but Texas law at the time prohibited abortions except in cases where the mother's life was in danger.
Weddington argued the case before the Supreme Court, and on January 22, 1973, the Court issued its decision. The Court ruled that a woman's right to privacy under the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution included the right to choose whether or not to have an abortion.
Justice Harry Blackmun
Justice Harry Blackmun was the judge who presided over the Roe v. Wade case. Blackmun was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Richard Nixon in 1970, and he served on the Court until 1994.
Blackmun wrote the majority opinion in the Roe v. Wade case. In his opinion, he stated that a woman's right to choose whether or not to have an abortion was protected by the Constitution's right to privacy.
The Impact of the Roe v. Wade Case
The Roe v. Wade case had a significant impact on American society. It was a landmark decision that recognized a woman's right to choose whether or not to have an abortion. The decision had a profound impact on women's rights and reproductive rights in the United States.
Many states have since passed laws that restrict access to abortion, and the Roe v. Wade decision continues to be a controversial issue in American politics today. However, the decision remains a landmark case that recognized women's rights and the importance of reproductive freedom.
Conclusion
The Roe v. Wade case was a landmark decision that recognized a woman's right to choose whether or not to have an abortion. The case was argued before the Supreme Court by Sarah Weddington, a young attorney from Texas. The judge who presided over the case was Justice Harry Blackmun, who wrote the majority opinion recognizing a woman's right to privacy and reproductive freedom. The decision had a significant impact on American society and continues to be a controversial issue today.