Casey v. Planned Parenthood of
Southeastern Pennsylvania
Supreme Court of the United
States (1991)

TABLE OF CONTENTS..............................i

TABLE OF AUTHORITIES..........................ii

INTEREST OF THE AMICUS.........................1

SUMMARY OF ARGUMENT............................3

ARGUMENT: THE RIGHT TO ABORTION SHOULD NOT
UNIVERSALLY BE DEEMED "FUNDAMENTAL"; ITS
CHARACTERIZATION AS SUCH SHOULD DEPEND ON
THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE CLAIMED
RIGHT..........................................4

1. IN TYPICAL CASES, WHERE THE SOLE
   CONSTITUTIONAL SOURCE OF THE CLAIMED
   ABORTION RIGHT IS THE PERSONAL
   LIBERTY/PRIVACY INTEREST, ABORTION
   SHOULD NO LONGER BE DEEMED A
   "FUNDAMENTAL" CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT........8

2. IN EXTRAORDINARY CASES, WHERE THE
   CONSTITUTIONAL SOURCE OF THE CLAIMED
   ABORTION RIGHT INCLUDES A SOURCE IN
   ADDITION TO THE PERSONAL LIBERTY/PRIVACY
   INTEREST -- FOR EXAMPLE, CASES WHERE
   ABORTION IS AN EXPRESSION OF FREE
   EXERCISE OF RELIGION -- ABORTION SHOULD
   REMAIN A "FUNDAMENTAL" CONSTITUTIONAL
   RIGHT....................................16