Case: Roe v. Wade

70-03690 | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas

Filed Date: March 3, 1970

Closed Date: Feb. 26, 1973

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

(This temporary is summary while we research the case). This case, filed by Jane Roe, ultimately led to the Supreme Court's holding that abortion was a fundamental right. This decision was later overruled in 2022 in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization.

Summary Authors

Muiz Wani (5/2/2024)

Related Cases

Jackson Women's Health Organization v. Dobbs, Southern District of Mississippi (2018)

Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

70-03691

Trial Court Docket

Doe v. Wade

March 3, 1970

March 3, 1970

Docket

70-03690

Trial Court Docket

March 3, 1970

March 3, 1970

Docket

70-03690

Order by Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, Convening a Statutory Three-Judge Court in CA-3-3690-B

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

March 18, 1970

March 18, 1970

Order/Opinion

70-03690

Plaintiff-Intervenor Hallford's Original Complaint

March 23, 1970

March 23, 1970

Complaint

70-03690

Order of District Court Granting Application for Leave to Intervene

March 23, 1970

March 23, 1970

Order/Opinion

70-03691

Order by Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, Convening a Statutory Three-Judge Court in CA-3-3691-C

Doe v. Wade

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

March 30, 1970

March 30, 1970

Order/Opinion

70-03690

Affidavit of Plaintiff-Intervenor James Hubert Hallford, M.D., in Support of Motion for Summary Judgment

April 20, 1970

April 20, 1970

Declaration/Affidavit

70-03690

Plaintiffs' First Amended Complaint

April 22, 1970

April 22, 1970

Complaint

70-03691

Plaintiffs' First Amended Complaint

Doe v. Wade

April 22, 1970

April 22, 1970

Complaint

70-03690

70-03691

Affidavit of Jane Roe in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Summary Judgment

May 21, 1970

May 21, 1970

Declaration/Affidavit

Docket

Last updated March 29, 2024, 3 a.m.

Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.

Case Details

State / Territory: Texas

Case Type(s):

Healthcare Access and Reproductive Issues

Special Collection(s):

Featured Historical Cases

Key Dates

Filing Date: March 3, 1970

Closing Date: Feb. 26, 1973

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

Norma McCorvey—under the legal pseudonym "Jane Roe"—who, in 1969, became pregnant with her third child and James H. Hallford, a physician who was in the process of being prosecuted for performing two abortions.

Plaintiff Type(s):

Private Plaintiff

Public Interest Lawyer: No

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

Texas (Dallas, Dallas), State

Defendant Type(s):

Law-enforcement

Jurisdiction-wide

Case Details

Causes of Action:

42 U.S.C. § 1983

Declaratory Judgment Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2201

Ex parte Young (federal or state officials)

Constitutional Clause(s):

Due Process

Due Process: Substantive Due Process

Establishment Clause

Equal Protection

Cruel and Unusual Punishment

Special Case Type(s):

Three-Judge Court

Available Documents:

Trial Court Docket

Complaint (any)

Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief

Non-settlement Outcome

Any published opinion

U.S. Supreme Court merits opinion

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff

Nature of Relief:

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Attorneys fees

Declaratory Judgment

Source of Relief:

Litigation

Content of Injunction:

State Statute Struck Down

Issues

Discrimination Basis:

Pregnancy discrimination

Sex discrimination

Affected Sex/Gender(s):

Female

Medical/Mental Health Care:

Medical care, general

Reproductive rights:

Abortion

Complete abortion ban

Criminalization

Reproductive health care (including birth control, abortion, and others)