Title: An Overview of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court Decision
Headings: The Roe v. Wade Supreme Court Decision
The Roe v. Wade Supreme Court Decision
Fast Facts: Roe v. Wade
Facts of the Case
Constitutional Issues
The Arguments
Majority Opinion
Dissenting Opinion
The Impact
Sources
Watch Now: Roe v. Wade Supported By 70% Of Americans

Content: The due process clause of the 14th Amendment guarantees equal protection under the law to all citizens and, in particular, required that laws be clearly written. Previous cases challenging abortion laws usually cited the 14th Amendment, claiming that the law was not specific enough when a woman's life might be threatened by pregnancy and childbirth. However, since attorneys Coffee and Weddington wanted a decision that rested on a pregnant woman's right to decide for herself whether abortion was necessary, they based their argument on the Ninth Amendment, which states: " The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people." The framers of the Constitution had recognized that new rights might be developed in years to come and they wanted to be able to protect those rights. The state prepared its case primarily on the basis that a fetus had legal rights, which ought to be protected. The Arguments
The argument for the plaintiff Jane Doe stated that, under the Bill of Rights, a woman has the right to terminate her pregnancy. It is improper for a state to impose on a woman's right to privacy in personal, marital, familial, and sexual decisions. There is no case in the Court's history that declares that a fetus—a developing infant in the womb—is a person. Therefore, the fetus cannot be said to have any legal "right to life."