Which Supreme Court case is most closely associated with establishing federal protections for abortion rights?

• A. Roe v. Wade
• B. Planned Parenthood v. Casey
• C. Webster v. Reproductive Health Services
• D. Doe v. Bolton

Answer: (A)

The main idea is identifying the ruling that first established a federal protection for abortion rights by recognizing a constitutional right to privacy in relation to abortion. Roe v. Wade (1973) held that a woman’s liberty under the Fourteenth Amendment includes the right to terminate a pregnancy, balancing that against the state’s interests and creating nationwide protections. This decision set the framework for how abortion rights are treated at the federal level, allowing protections across states. Doe v. Bolton, issued the same year, expanded access but did not establish the federal protection on its own. Later cases, like Planned Parenthood v. Casey, kept Roe’s core holding but changed the standard to the undue burden test, and Webster v. Reproductive Health Services allowed more restrictions without overturning Roe. Still, Roe v. Wade is the case most closely associated with establishing those federal protections.