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President of Planned Parenthood and Jane
On January 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court announced its decision in RoeV. Wade, a challenge to a Texas statute that made it a crime to perform anabortion unless a woman’s life was at stake. The case had been filed by"Jane Roe", an unmarried woman who wanted to safely and legally end herpregnancy. Siding with Roe, the Court struck down the Texas law. In itsruling, the Court recognized for the first time that the constitutionalright to privacy "is broad enough to encompass a woman’s decision whetheror not to terminate her pregnancy."