<P> Lawrence v. Texas , 539 U.S. 558 ( 2003 ) is a landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court . The Court struck down the sodomy law in Texas in a 6 - 3 decision and , by extension , invalidated sodomy laws in 13 other states , making same - sex sexual activity legal in every U.S. state and territory . The Court , with a five - justice majority , overturned its previous ruling on the same issue in the 1986 case Bowers v. Hardwick , where it upheld a challenged Georgia statute and did not find a constitutional protection of sexual privacy . </P>
<P> Lawrence v. Texas , 539 U.S. 558 ( 2003 ) is a landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court . The Court struck down the sodomy law in Texas in a 6 - 3 decision and , by extension , invalidated sodomy laws in 13 other states , making same - sex sexual activity legal in every U.S. state and territory . The Court , with a five - justice majority , overturned its previous ruling on the same issue in the 1986 case Bowers v. Hardwick , where it upheld a challenged Georgia statute and did not find a constitutional protection of sexual privacy . </P>
what did the supreme court rule in lawrence v. texas in 2003
what did the supreme court rule in lawrence v. texas in 2003
invalidated sodomy laws in 13 other states , making same - sex sexual activity legal in every U.S. state and territory
invalidated sodomy laws in 13 other states , making same - sex sexual activity legal in every U.S. state and territory