Restrictions On Abortion

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The Restrictions on Abortions: Post-Roe Cases, Legislation, and Societies' View

Since 1973, when Roe verses Wade was decided, there have been several restrictions made to a woman?s right to obtain an abortion. These restrictions have come from several different angles and from a conservative ideological background. The restrictions that have been made to Roe v. Wade have come from other Supreme Court cases that were argued after 1973 and from State and Federal Legislation; which, ultimately, must go through the process of Judicial Review. Before we look at what restrictions have been made, we will look at the history of Roe. Secondly, we will look at Webster verses Reproductive Health Services (1989) and Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992)-the Supreme Court cases which further restricted Roe. And then we look to the most controversial piece of abortion legislation since Roe was decided: The Partial Birth Abortion Ban-House Rule 1833 and Senate Rule 6. Since the decision of Roe verses Wade in 1973, the conservative wing of the American Political spectrum has sought to impose restrictions on a woman?s right to obtain an abortion.

There are very few Americans who do not know what Roe verse Wade is. Moreover, when the issue is raised, most people have a hard-line ?agree? or ?disagree? stance. Scholars also agree that there has been no other Court Case in American history that, 25 years after its decision, still sparks such controversy. Roe verses Wade is a debate that is very much alive and open.

In short, Jane Roe, a pregnant single woman, was unable to have an abortion in Texas because her pregnancy did not threaten her life or the life of the child. Although she was told she could go to another state to have the abortion, she did not have the money to do so. Instead, Roe sought legal advice and filed a suit challenging the constitutionality of Texas? abortion law.

On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court ruled that a woman's constitutional right to privacy, provided for by the Fourth Amendment, was more important than a state's right to regulate abortions. This decision, in effect, legalized abortions and, ?pushed a fractured state-by-state debate into a national one and prompted scattered groups to mobilize into pro-choice and pro-life movements.? Since Roe verses Wade decision was handed down, the country and it?s policy makers have been divided on the iss...

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7. Abortion Law Homepage, The ?Planned Parenthood v. Casey.? Online. The Abortion Law Homepage. Internet. 16 November 1999. Available: http://hometown.aol.com/abtrbng/index.htm

8. Abortion Law Homepage, The ?Webster v. Reproductive Health Services.? Online. The Abortion Law Homepage. Internet. 16 November 1999. Available: http://hometown.aol.com/abtrbng/505us833.htm

9. United States Supreme Court. Audio Transcript. Webster v. Reproductive Health Services. The Oyez Project, Northwestern University. Real Audio. 11 November 1999. http://oyez.nwu.edu/cases/cases.cgi?command=show&case_id=436

10. United States Supreme Court. Audio Transcript. Roe v. Wade. The Oyez Project, Northwestern University. Real Audio. 13 November 1999.

http://oyez.nwu.edu/cases/cases.cgi?case_id=334&command=show

11. United States Supreme Court. Audio Transcript. Planned Parenthood v. Casey. The Oyez Project, Northwestern University. Real Audio. 13 November 1999.

http://oyez.nwu.edu/cases/cases.cgi?command=show&case_id=306

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