Diagram of How the Case Moved Through the Court System

Supreme Court of the United States (1973) The case was originally argued on December 13, 1971 and was reargued on October 11, 1972.  The decision was delivered on January 22, 1973.  In a 7-2 opinion, the Court decided that (a) during the first trimester of pregnancy a woman could have an abortion on demand without interference from the state; (b) during the second trimester the state could regulate abortions for safety but could not prohibit them entirely; and (c) during the third trimester, the state could regulate or forbid all abortions except to save the life of the mother.
United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas (1970) A three-judge panel found that the law violated Roe’s rights but refused to issue an injunction that would have prevented the law from being enforced against all pregnant women.

Resources

•	About landmarkcases.org
•	Teaching Recommendations Based on Your Time
•	Background Summary and Questions • • • Reading Level • • Reading Level  • Reading Level
•	Diagram of How the Case Moved Through the Court System
•	Listen to the Oral Arguments
•	Key Excerpts from the Majority Opinion
•	Key Excerpts from the Dissenting Opinion
•	Full Text of the Majority Opinion

back to top

Activities
    The Case

•	Classifying Arguments
•	Is Privacy Protected in the Constitution
•	Cartoon Analysis

back to top

    After the Case

•	The Casey Case: Roe Revisited?
•	The Legacy of Roe: The Debate Continues
back to top
	Additional Resources
•	Public Agenda's Issue Guide

back to top