PENNSYLVANIA, USA — A draft opinion suggests the U.S. Supreme Court could be poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, according to a Politico report released Monday. It's unclear if the draft represents the final decision of the court, which is not expected for several weeks.
The news had people quickly turning to Google to ask a number of questions about the current abortion laws in the U.S. and what happens if the draft released Monday turns out to be the final decision.
In Pennsylvania, people have had similar queries as well.
Here is what people are asking:
Is Roe v. Wade overturned?
It's important to be clear that Roe v. Wade has not been overturned and it's still possible that it won't be. What Politico released on Monday was a leaked, draft opinion dated in February. It is not the final ruling, which is expected sometime this summer. As the Associated Press reports, "it's unclear if the draft represents the court’s final word on the matter — opinions often change in ways big and small in the drafting process."
Who is Norma McCorvey?
Norma McCorvey, also known as "Jane Roe", was the plaintiff in the landmark American legal case Roe v. Wade in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1973 that individual state laws banning abortion were unconstitutional.
Who is Samuel Alito?
Samuel Anthony Alito, Jr. currently holds a position on the Supreme Court bench as one of the court’s conservative justices. According to Oyez, he is known for his right wing leanings that sometimes encompass libertarian ideals.
What happens if Roe v. Wade is overturned?
If Roe v. Wade is overturned, it would give states freedom to decide whether to ban abortion. It would also allow states to determine if there are any exceptions to those bans, such as if it presents a risk to the health of the mother; in cases of rape or incest, or; if abortion would be illegal after a certain date, such as six weeks or 15 weeks after conception.
Abortion rights are one of the most polarizing political issues of the past half-century since the passage of Roe v. Wade. Both pro- and anti-abortion activists have said for years that they believed the law could one day be reversed.