Keeping Abortion Clinics Open: The Importance of Ragsdale v. Turnock in the Post‐Casey Era

Susan Gluck Mezey, Raymond Tatalovich and Michael Walsh

Review of Policy Research, 1994, vol. 13, issue 1‐2, 111-126

Abstract: In 1973, Roe v. Wade constitutionalized a woman's right to an abortion. But, while Roe removed most legal obstacles to abortion, it did not address the limited availability of abortion services in the nation. The case examined here, Ragsdale v. Turnock, revolved around an Illinois statute that imposed far‐reaching restrictions on abortion clinics, the site of most U.S. abortions since Roe. The crucial role of clinics in providing abortion services explains why the dispute represented by Ragsdale had the potential for an enormous impact on legalized abortion in the United States. Because of the number of women affected, the Ragsdale litigation could have led to the most significant judicial ruling since Roe. The suit resulted in a settlement in which plaintiffs secured the right to a legal clinic abortion during the first 18 weeks of pregnancy. Although the case was settled to the satisfaction of pro‐choice advocates, a similar law today might well survive constitutional scrutiny.

Date: 1994
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