Opinion summary
Etalia.ai summary of the majority opinion
The case addressed the constitutionality of Missouri's regulations on abortions, specifically focusing on informed consent and parental consent requirements. The Supreme Court examined whether these provisions violated a woman's right to privacy as established in Roe v. Wade. The challenged statutes required that women seeking an abortion be provided with certain information at least 24 hours before the procedure and mandated minors obtain parental or judicial consent prior to obtaining an abortion. Planned Parenthood argued these laws imposed undue burdens on women's access to abortion services, thus infringing upon their constitutional rights. Ultimately, the Court upheld most of Missouri’s regulations but struck down specific aspects that were deemed too restrictive or not sufficiently justified by state interests.
Opinion written by Justice Powell
Decided 15 Jun 1983 · Official report