Supreme Court Upholds State Abortion Limits in 6-3 Split, Igniting Protests

WASHINGTON — In a landmark 6-3 decision on June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court upheld Mississippi's ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, effectively overturning Roe v. Wade and eliminating the constitutional right to abortion.[1][3] The ruling, authored by Justice Samuel Alito, argued that Roe and the 1992 Casey decision were 'egregiously wrong' and that abortion lacks deep roots in U.S. history, returning authority to states and elected officials.[3] Jackson Women's Health Organization, Mississippi's last abortion clinic, had challenged the 2018 law as unconstitutional.[1] The majority opinion emphasized that the Constitution confers no right to abortion, marking the first time the court has stripped a fundamental right after decades of protection.[1][3] Chief Justice John Roberts concurred in judgment but urged a narrower ruling preserving some limits post-viability, while Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan dissented sharply, warning of eroded women's autonomy.[3] Roe, decided 7-2 in 1973, had established a trimester framework balancing privacy rights against state interests in maternal health and fetal life.[2] Reactions exploded immediately: Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, called it a 'wrecking ball' to rights, noting one in four American women end pregnancies amid record public support for access.[1] Nationwide protests surged, with demonstrators clashing in cities like New York and Los Angeles, while pro-life groups celebrated the return of power to 'the people.'[1] Politically, the ruling fueled division. At least 13 states enacted near-total bans post-Dobbs, forcing patients to travel thousands of miles for care, per reproductive rights advocates.[1] By 2026, enforcement battles continue in courts, with 26 states imposing significant restrictions, reshaping access for millions.[1]