The landmark case of Roe v. Wade is still a hot topic of discussion today, more than 40 years after the Supreme Court's decision in 1973. At the heart of the case is the issue of a woman's right to choose whether or not to have an abortion. But who were the judges who made this historic ruling?
The Majority Opinion
The majority opinion in Roe v. Wade was written by Justice Harry Blackmun. Blackmun was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Richard Nixon in 1970, just three years before the Roe v. Wade decision was handed down.
Blackmun's majority opinion held that a woman has a constitutional right to choose to have an abortion, based on the right to privacy that is implied in the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. The decision struck down state laws that restricted access to abortion, and established a framework for determining when the state's interest in protecting the health of the mother and the potential life of the fetus outweighed a woman's right to choose.
The Dissenting Opinion
The dissenting opinion in Roe v. Wade was written by Justice Byron White, who was appointed to the Supreme Court by President John F. Kennedy in 1962. White argued that the Constitution does not guarantee a right to abortion, and that the decision should have been left up to the individual states to decide.
Justice William Rehnquist also dissented in the case. Rehnquist was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Richard Nixon in 1971, just one year before the Roe v. Wade decision was handed down. Rehnquist argued that the majority opinion was an "exercise in raw judicial power" and that the decision had no constitutional basis.
The Other Justices
Aside from Blackmun, White, and Rehnquist, there were six other justices on the Supreme Court at the time of the Roe v. Wade decision. Justices William O. Douglas, William J. Brennan Jr., Thurgood Marshall, and Potter Stewart all voted with Blackmun in the majority opinion.
Justices Lewis F. Powell Jr. and Warren E. Burger also voted with the majority, but wrote separate concurring opinions. Powell argued that the state has a legitimate interest in protecting potential life, but that this interest must be weighed against a woman's right to choose. Burger wrote that the decision should be limited to the specific facts of the case, and that the Court should not attempt to establish a universal right to abortion.
The Impact of Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade remains one of the most significant Supreme Court decisions in American history. The ruling has been both praised and criticized, and has been the subject of countless political and legal debates over the past four decades.
The decision has had a profound impact on women's rights, reproductive health, and public policy. It has also played a major role in shaping the political landscape of the United States, particularly with regard to the issue of abortion.
Conclusion
The judges who were appointed to the Supreme Court at the time of the Roe v. Wade decision were a diverse group with differing opinions and backgrounds. But it was Justice Harry Blackmun's majority opinion that ultimately established a woman's right to choose whether or not to have an abortion, and set the stage for decades of legal and political battles over reproductive rights.