Roe v. Wade (1973)

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

2) Summary of the Opinion
Jane Roe (a pseudonym) challenged a Texas law that criminalized most abortions. The Supreme Court ruled 7–2 that the right to privacy under the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment encompasses a woman’s decision to have an abortion. The Court established a trimester framework balancing women’s rights with state interests.

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.

Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022)

1) Link to the Actual Opinion
Read the Supreme Court opinion (PDF)

2) Summary of the Opinion
Mississippi passed a law banning most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, directly challenging Roe v. Wade (1973) and Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992). The Supreme Court, in a 6–3 decision, upheld the law and explicitly overruled Roe and Casey, holding that the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion.

FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine (2024)

1) Link to the Actual Opinion
Read the Supreme Court opinion (PDF)

2) Summary of the Opinion
Anti-abortion medical groups challenged the FDA’s approval and regulation of mifepristone, a medication used in medication abortions. The Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the challengers lacked standing, meaning they had no legal right to sue because they were not directly injured by the FDA’s actions.

3) Why It Mattered
The decision preserved access to mifepristone by dismissing the challenge on procedural grounds. It sidestepped broader questions about the FDA’s authority but underscored limits on who can bring cases in federal court.