U.S. Supreme Court (Roe v. Wade)

Roe v. Wade (1973) was a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that established a woman's legal right to have an abortion. The Court ruled that the Constitution's right to privacy extends to a woman's decision to terminate her pregnancy. This decision effectively legalized abortion across the United States by striking down many state laws that restricted it. The ruling balanced a woman's right to choose against the state's interest in regulating abortions and protecting prenatal life, leading to a framework based on pregnancy trimesters. It has since remained a pivotal and controversial issue in American law and politics.