Florida Civic Literacy Practice Exam

Which case recognized reproductive rights as part of the right to privacy?

1. Planned Parenthood v. Casey

2. Roe v. Wade

3. Griswold v. Connecticut

4. Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt

The correct answer is: Roe v. Wade

Roe v. Wade is the landmark case that recognized reproductive rights as an integral part of the right to privacy. Decided in 1973, the Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution implicitly grants women the right to choose to have an abortion under the broader right to privacy found in the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment. This case established a legal framework, balancing a woman's right to privacy against the state's interests in regulating abortions at different stages of pregnancy. The decision in Roe v. Wade has had profound implications for reproductive rights and has shaped the legal landscape surrounding abortion access in the United States. It was pivotal in affirming that personal choices regarding family and reproduction are protected by the right to privacy, fundamentally influencing discussions and legislation regarding reproductive health. Other cases, like Planned Parenthood v. Casey, further refined and reaffirmed the principles established in Roe v. Wade, but it was Roe that originally established the foundational connection between reproductive rights and privacy. Griswold v. Connecticut dealt with the right to use contraception and laid the groundwork for privacy rights, while Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt focused on abortion clinic regulations without directly addressing the foundational right to abortion itself.