U.S. Supreme Court: Roe v. Wade Oral Argument (1971)

Attorneys presented oral argument before the U.S. Supreme Court in the landmark abortion case Roe. v. Wade. Sarah Weddington argued for Roe, the pseudonym for a Texas woman who sought to terminate her pregnancy . Texas Assistant Attorney General Jay Floyd argued on behalf of the government. The arguments were presented on audiotape with still images of the participants. This case was argued on December 13, 1971. The case was re-argued on October 11, 1972 with Robert Flowers acting for the government. The case was decided on January 22, 1973 in a 7 to 2 vote. The Court ruled that a woman's right to an abortion fell within the right to privacy protected by the 14th Amendment. The ruling gave a woman total autonomy over her pregnancy during the first trimester and defined different levels of state interest for the second and third trimesters. The laws of 46 states were affected by the ruling.