Doe v. Bolton — LLMpedia

Doe v. Bolton
Name	Doe v. Bolton
Court	Supreme Court of the United States
Date	January 22, 1973
Full name	Mary Doe v. Arthur K. Bolton, Attorney General of Georgia
Citation	410 U.S. 179
Prior	Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
Holding	The Georgia abortion law was unconstitutional, as it imposed unnecessary restrictions on a woman's right to an abortion
Us court	Supreme Court of the United States

Contents

Doe v. Bolton was a landmark United States Supreme Court case that, along with Roe v. Wade, played a crucial role in shaping the abortion laws in the United States. The case was decided on January 22, 1973, and it involved a challenge to the Georgia abortion law, which was enacted in 1968 and restricted access to abortion services. The case was brought by Sandra Cano, a Georgia resident who was using the pseudonym Mary Doe, and it was argued by Margie Pitts Hames, a prominent American Civil Liberties Union attorney, along with Roy Lucas and Reber Boult, who were also well-known for their work on reproductive rights cases, including Roe v. Wade. The case was heard by the Supreme Court of the United States, which included notable justices such as Harry Blackmun, William Rehnquist, and Lewis F. Powell Jr., and it was decided in conjunction with Roe v. Wade, which was argued by Sarah Weddington and Linda Coffee.

Background

The Georgia abortion law, which was enacted in 1968, allowed abortion only in cases where the woman's life was at risk, or where the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest, and it required that the procedure be approved by a hospital committee and performed in a licensed hospital. The law was challenged by Sandra Cano, a Georgia resident who was using the pseudonym Mary Doe, and who was represented by Margie Pitts Hames, a prominent American Civil Liberties Union attorney, along with Roy Lucas and Reber Boult, who were also well-known for their work on reproductive rights cases, including Roe v. Wade. The case was also supported by organizations such as the National Organization for Women and the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, which were led by notable figures such as Betty Friedan and Faye Wattleton. The American Medical Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists also filed amicus curiae briefs in the case, which was heard by the Supreme Court of the United States, including justices such as Harry Blackmun, William Rehnquist, and Lewis F. Powell Jr., and it was decided in conjunction with Roe v. Wade, which was argued by Sarah Weddington and Linda Coffee.

The case was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia in 1970, and it was heard by a three-judge panel, which included Judge Albert J. Henderson Jr., Judge Lewis R. Morgan, and Judge Newell Edenfield. The panel ruled that the Georgia abortion law was unconstitutional, as it imposed unnecessary restrictions on a woman's right to an abortion. The state of Georgia appealed the decision to the Supreme Court of the United States, which agreed to hear the case, along with Roe v. Wade, which was argued by Sarah Weddington and Linda Coffee. The case was argued by Margie Pitts Hames, who was assisted by Roy Lucas and Reber Boult, and it was supported by organizations such as the National Organization for Women and the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, which were led by notable figures such as Betty Friedan and Faye Wattleton. The American Medical Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists also filed amicus curiae briefs in the case, which was heard by the Supreme Court of the United States, including justices such as Harry Blackmun, William Rehnquist, and Lewis F. Powell Jr..

The Supreme Court of the United States issued its decision in the case on January 22, 1973, and it ruled that the Georgia abortion law was unconstitutional, as it imposed unnecessary restrictions on a woman's right to an abortion. The court held that the law's requirements, such as the need for hospital approval and the restriction on where the procedure could be performed, were not necessary to protect the woman's health, and that they imposed an undue burden on her right to an abortion. The decision was written by Justice Harry Blackmun, who was joined by Chief Justice Warren E. Burger, Justice William O. Douglas, Justice William J. Brennan Jr., Justice Potter Stewart, Justice Thurgood Marshall, and Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr.. The decision was a major victory for the reproductive rights movement, which was led by organizations such as the National Organization for Women and the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and it was supported by notable figures such as Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan. The decision was also influenced by the work of Margaret Sanger, who was a pioneer in the birth control movement, and it was cited in later cases such as Planned Parenthood v. Casey and Stenberg v. Carhart.

The decision in the case had a significant impact on the abortion laws in the United States, as it, along with Roe v. Wade, established a woman's right to an abortion and limited the ability of states to restrict access to abortion services. The decision was met with widespread opposition from anti-abortion groups, such as the National Right to Life Committee, which was led by notable figures such as Phyllis Schlafly and Nellie Gray. However, it was also widely supported by pro-choice organizations, such as the National Organization for Women and the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, which were led by notable figures such as Gloria Steinem and Faye Wattleton. The decision has been cited in numerous later cases, including Planned Parenthood v. Casey and Stenberg v. Carhart, and it remains a highly controversial and influential decision in the United States. The case has also been the subject of numerous books and articles, including works by Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Cass Sunstein, and it continues to be an important part of the reproductive rights movement, which is led by organizations such as the Center for Reproductive Rights and the Guttmacher Institute.

The decision in the case has had a lasting impact on the abortion laws in the United States, as it established a woman's right to an abortion and limited the ability of states to restrict access to abortion services. The decision has been cited in numerous later cases, including Planned Parenthood v. Casey and Stenberg v. Carhart, and it remains a highly influential decision in the United States. The case has also been the subject of numerous books and articles, including works by Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Cass Sunstein, and it continues to be an important part of the reproductive rights movement, which is led by organizations such as the Center for Reproductive Rights and the Guttmacher Institute. The decision has also been recognized as a major milestone in the women's rights movement, which was led by notable figures such as Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan, and it has been cited as an example of the importance of judicial activism in protecting individual rights, as seen in the work of justices such as Earl Warren and Thurgood Marshall. The case is also studied in law schools, including Harvard Law School and Yale Law School, and it is often cited as an example of the Supreme Court of the United States's role in shaping the Constitution of the United States, as seen in cases such as Brown v. Board of Education and Loving v. Virginia. Category:United States Supreme Court cases