Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992)

1) Link to the Actual Opinion
Read the U.S. Reports opinion (PDF)

2) Summary of the Opinion
Pennsylvania enacted abortion restrictions, including spousal notification, parental consent for minors, and informed consent requirements. The Supreme Court reaffirmed the core holding of Roe v. Wade but replaced the trimester framework with the “undue burden” test: states cannot place substantial obstacles in the path of a woman seeking an abortion before fetal viability.

3) Why It Mattered
Casey reshaped abortion jurisprudence, giving states more room to regulate abortion while keeping Roe’s central protection intact — until Roe was overturned in 2022.

4) What It Provided or Took Away

• Provided: A new standard — abortion regulations must not impose an undue burden before viability.
• Took Away: Roe’s strict trimester framework, allowing more state regulation.

5) Overreach or Proper Role?
Seen as a compromise: the Court upheld Roe’s principle but adjusted its rules. Critics on both sides called it either weak or too activist.

6) Plain-English Impact Today
For decades, Casey set the standard: states could regulate abortion (waiting periods, parental consent, etc.) as long as the rules didn’t make it too hard to get one before viability.

• Abortion
• Due Process
• 14th Amendment
• Privacy
• Undue Burden