As one of the most consequential decisions in the history of the Supreme Court, Roe v. Wade articulated the right to abortion as a fundamental right. Though it is not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution, the concept of a fundamental right to privacy played a key role in the arguments. Where did this landmark case originate, why was the opinion framed the way it was, and how did the Supreme Court advance from the right to privacy to the right to abortion?

In this documentary, six law professors discuss how and why Roe v. Wade made it to the Supreme Court, the legal foundations for the case, and its impact on the American legal system.

* * * * * 

As always, the Federalist Society takes no position on particular legal or public policy issues; all expressions of opinion are those of the speaker.

* * * * * 

Featuring:

Prof. Helen M. Alvare, Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University
https://www.law.gmu.edu/faculty/directory/fulltime/alvare_helen

Prof. David E. Bernstein, Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University
https://www.law.gmu.edu/faculty/directory/fulltime/bernstein_david

Prof. Robert P. George, Princeton University
https://lapa.princeton.edu/people/robert-p-george

Linda Greenhouse, Yale Law School
https://law.yale.edu/linda-greenhouse

Prof. Kimberly Mutcherson, Rutgers Law School
https://law.rutgers.edu/directory/view/mutchers

Prof. Teresa Stanton Collett, University of St. Thomas School of Law
https://www.stthomas.edu/law/facultystaff/a-z-index/teresa-stanton-collett.html

* * * * * 

Related Links & Differing Views:

Watch Roe v. Wade: The Power of a Law Review:
https://fedsoc.org/commentary/videos/roe-v-wade-the-power-of-a-law-review-short-film

Watch Roe v. Wade: Abortion in New York:
https://fedsoc.org/commentary/videos/roe-v-wade-abortion-in-new-york-short-film

Constitution Daily: “On this day, the Roe v. Wade Decision”
https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/landmark-cases-roe-v-wade

C-SPAN: “Landmark Cases: Roe v. Wade”
http://landmarkcases.c-span.org/Case/12/Roe-V-Wade

Harvard Law Review: “Roe v. Wade: Past, Present, and Future:
https://harvardlpr.com/2018/03/19/roe-v-wade-past-present-and-future/

UC Davis Law Review: “The So-Called Right to Privacy”
https://lawreview.law.ucdavis.edu/issues/43/3/liberty/43-3_Greene.pdf

Yale Law Journal: “The Wages of Crying Wolf: A Comment on Roe v. Wade”
https://digitalcommons.law.yale.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6179&context=ylj

Michigan Law Review: “Rewriting Roe v. Wade”
https://repository.law.umich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1344&context=articles

Arcane Knowledge: “Legal Issues of Roe v. Wade”
https://www.arcaneknowledge.org/histpoli/roe.htm