The landmark decision of Roe vs Wade was made by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1973. The ruling legalized abortion nationwide, but the decision was not unanimous. In this article, we will take a closer look at the justices who voted in favor and against the decision.
Background of Roe vs Wade
Roe vs Wade was a case that originated in Texas in 1970. Norma McCorvey, who was pregnant at the time, filed a lawsuit against Henry Wade, the district attorney of Dallas County, Texas, challenging the constitutionality of the state's abortion laws.
The case eventually made its way to the Supreme Court, where the justices were tasked with deciding whether the right to privacy extended to a woman's decision to have an abortion.
The Justices Who Voted in Favor of Roe vs Wade
There were seven justices who voted in favor of the Roe vs Wade decision. They were:
- Harry Blackmun
- William Brennan
- Warren Burger
- William Douglas
- Thurgood Marshall
- Lewis Powell
- Potter Stewart
Justice Blackmun wrote the majority opinion, which stated that a woman's right to choose to have an abortion fell within the right to privacy protected by the Fourteenth Amendment. The other six justices joined him in the decision.
The Justices Who Dissented
There were two justices who dissented from the Roe vs Wade decision. They were:
- William Rehnquist
- Byron White
Justice Rehnquist wrote the dissenting opinion, which argued that the majority decision was an "exercise of raw judicial power" and that the Constitution did not protect a woman's right to have an abortion.
The Impact of Roe vs Wade
The Roe vs Wade decision has had a significant impact on the United States. Since the ruling, abortion has become a highly politicized topic, with advocates on both sides arguing for their beliefs.
Proponents of the decision argue that it is a woman's right to choose what to do with her own body, while opponents argue that it is the unborn child's right to life that must be protected.
Conclusion
The Roe vs Wade decision was a landmark ruling that has had a lasting impact on the United States. The seven justices who voted in favor of the decision believed that a woman's right to choose to have an abortion fell within the right to privacy protected by the Fourteenth Amendment. The two dissenting justices argued that the Constitution did not protect a woman's right to have an abortion. Since the ruling, abortion has become a highly politicized topic, with advocates on both sides arguing for their beliefs.