Abortion

Abortion Does the government have the right to declare a state abortion law unconstitutional? **﻿ **

__History of Cases- __ Legalizes contraception and defines the "right to privacy." Mental health as an indication for abortion Unmarried persons may use contraceptives. Decriminalizes abortion on demand, stating that a constitutional "right to privacy" exists that protects a woman's decision to have an abortion. The court permits states to outlaw abortions from viability until birth (third trimester) except when necessary to preserve the mother's life or health. However, the ruling in //Doe v. Bolton// (see below) makes such permission moot because of that decision's definition of maternal health. Defines "health" (of the mother) to include all factors - physical, emotional, psychological, familial and the woman's age. This basically allows a woman to have an abortion at any time during her pregnancy and for any reason. States may not prohibit ads for abortions that are legal in other states. A minor's privacy rights include contraception. Parents, husbands need not consent to abortion. A Missouri abortion law, requiring the consent of parents in the case of minors, and husbands in the case of a married woman, is ruled unconstitutional. Minor's right to access contraceptives. Abortion funding under Medicaid. Equal protection required in funding abortion. <span style="background: #fef7ed; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">Public hospitals and abortion. <span style="background: #fef7ed; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">Minor's right to privacy includes abortion. <span style="background: #fef7ed; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">Can't deny abortion funding only to Planned Parenthood. <span style="background: #fef7ed; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">Hyde restriction of Medicaid funds. <span style="background: #fef7ed; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">Equal protection and "therapeutic" abortions. <span style="background: #fef7ed; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">"Mature" minors and parental notification. <span style="background: #fef7ed; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">Informed consent and abortion funding. <span style="background: #fef7ed; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">Abortion regulations rejected. <span style="background: #fef7ed; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">Abortions may not be restricted to hospitals. <span style="background: #fef7ed; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">Contraceptive ads in the mail are now okay. <span style="background: #fef7ed; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">Parental notification and access to contraceptives. <span style="background: #fef7ed; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">State funding of organizations that provide abortion or abortion counseling. <span style="background: #fef7ed; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">Upheld restrictions on public funding, use of public facilities for abortion and abortion counseling. <span style="background: #fef7ed; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">Parental notification upheld. <span style="background: #fef7ed; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">Notification of both parents is not required for a minor's abortion. <span style="background: #fef7ed; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">The government has no obligation to pay for women to exercise their "rights." <span style="background: #fef7ed; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">This decision outlaws any restrictions that "impose an undue burden" on a woman's "right" to an abortion. <span style="background: #fef7ed; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">Federal civil rights laws do not provide class protection to women seeking abortion. <span style="background: #fef7ed; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">Upheld without comment a lower court ruling allowing the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations act to be used against pro-life organziations. <span style="background: #fef7ed; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">Held that buffer zones around abortion clinics do not infringe on free speech rights. <span style="background: #fef7ed; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">Upheld fixed protest-free buffer zones around abortion clinics. <span style="background: #fef7ed; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">On a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court declared that Nebraska's partial birth abortion law unconstitutionally placed an undue burden on a woman's so-called right to a late term abortion. <span style="background: #fef7ed; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">Upheld protest-free floating "bubble zones" around abortion clinics.
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1965: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Griswold v. Connecticut**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1971: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **United States v. Vuitch**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1972: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Eisenstadt v. Baird**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1973: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Roe v. Wade**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1973: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Doe v. Bolton**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1975: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Bigelow v. Virginia**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1975: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **T.H. v. Jones**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1975: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Planned Parenthood v. Fitzpatrick**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1976: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Planned Parenthood Association of Central Missouri v. Danforth**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1977: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Carey v. Population Services International**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1977: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Beal v. Doe**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1977: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Maher v. Roe**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1977: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Poelker v. Doe**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1979: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Bellotti v. Baird II**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1980: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Planned Parenthood v. Minnesota**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1980: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Harris v. McRae**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1980: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Williams v. Zbarez**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1981: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **H.L. v. Matheson**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1981: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Planned Parenthood v. Kempiners**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1983: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Akron v. Akron Center for Reproductive Health**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1983: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Planned Parenthood v. Ashcroft**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1983: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Bolger v. Young Drug Products Corporation**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1983: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Planned Parenthood v. Heckler**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1986: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Babbitt v. Planned Parenthood of Central and Northern Arizona**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1989: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Webster v. Reproductive Health Services**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1990: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Ohio v. Akron Center for Reproductive Health**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1990: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Hodgson v. Minnesota**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1991: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Rust v. Sullivan**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1992: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> ** Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey **
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1993: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Bray v. Alexandria Women's Clinic**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1994: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **National Organization for Women v. Scheidler**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1994: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Madsen v. Women's Health Center**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">1997: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Schenck v. Pro-Choice Network of Western New York**
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">2000: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> ** Stenberg v. Carhart **
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">2000: **<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> **Hill v. Colorado**

__<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 16pt;">Controversy- __

<span style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; display: block; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"> <span style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; font-size: 16pt;">Pro-Life v. Pro-Choice <span style="font-family: 'Georgia','serif';"> **  Pro-Life:   ** A person that believes that the government has an obligation to preserve all human life, regardless of intent, viability, or quality-of-life concerns. **  Pro-Choice:   ** The belief that individuals have unlimited autonomy with respect to their own reproductive systems as long as they do not breach the autonomy of others.
 * **  Conflict   **  ||
 * ** Pro-Life  **  ||  **  Pro-Choice  **  ||
 * Argues that even non-viable, undeveloped human life is sacred and must be protected by the government. Abortion, according to this model, must not be legal, nor should it be widely practiced on an illegal basis.  ||   Argues that in cases where human personhood cannot be proven, e.g. in pregnancies prior to the point of viability, the government does not have the right to impede a woman's right to decide whether or not to continue a pregnancy.   ||

**__<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Statistics- __**
<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This chart shows how almost half of the abortions around the world are unsafe. Meaning that people who receive the abortion are potentially harming themselves and they can lead to deaths. The light pink graph bars show how many safe abortions were done. In North America, more safe abortions are done than unsafe abortions.

<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">In South America, more unsafe abortions were done than safe abortions and that isn’t shocking because South America is still a developing country.