WASHINGTON, June 24, 2022 — The American Bar Association remains committed to doing all it can to support reproductive choice. Limiting this choice can have devastating consequences for those who are pregnant and can adversely affect their physical and mental health, their lives and the lives of their families.
The Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health that overturns Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey will deny millions of people in our country what has been a protected right for half of a century. In an amicus brief filed in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the ABA had urged the Court to uphold Roe v. Wade and its subsequent line of decisions. The brief cited the extensive legal precedent, the irreparable harm that reversing Roe would cause women and the disproportionate effect of a change in the law on women of color.
In addition to supporting reproductive choice, the ABA opposes the criminal prosecution of any person for having an abortion. In light of the Supreme Court’s decision, the ABA has created the Law, Society and the Judiciary Task Force that will address, as appropriate, issues related to the Dobbs decision. It will also examine ways the association can continue its work to enhance respect for the judiciary and advance the Rule of Law.
The ABA is the largest voluntary association of lawyers in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.