When Was Roe v. Wade Overturned? Date and Vote

When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, it wasn’t just a legal ruling — it was the culmination of a 50-year campaign to reshape American abortion law. On June 24, 2022, the Court issued its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, dismantling a constitutional right that had stood for nearly half a century.

Date overturned: June 24, 2022 ·
Case name: Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ·
Supreme Court vote: 5-4 ·
Years Roe v. Wade was in effect: 49 years (1973–2022)

Here are the key facts about the Dobbs decision in a nutshell.

When Was Roe v. Wade Overturned?

The Supreme Court announced its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization on June 24, 2022 (Supreme Court of the United States). The ruling overturned both Roe v. Wade (1973) and Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992), eliminating the federal constitutional protection for abortion.

How Long Was Roe v. Wade in Effect?

Roe v. Wade was the law of the land for exactly 49 years — from January 22, 1973, until June 24, 2022 (Oyez). During that period, the Court reaffirmed its core holding in Casey (1992), but allowed states to impose some restrictions.

Is Roe v. Wade Still Overturned?

Yes. As of June 2022, Roe v. Wade remains overturned. The Dobbs decision has not been reversed by any subsequent ruling. The case citation is Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, 597 U.S. 215 (2022) (Cornell Law School Wex).

Why Did the US Supreme Court Overturn Roe v. Wade?

The Court’s majority, led by Justice Samuel Alito, held that The Constitution does not confer a right to abortion (Supreme Court opinion). The decision argued that Roe was egregiously wrong from the start and that the authority to regulate abortion should be returned to the people’s elected representatives (National Constitution Center). The conservative legal movement had spent decades building a case to overturn Roe, beginning with inroads in state legislatures and culminating in the appointment of three justices by President Donald Trump (Harvard Magazine).

The ruling also overturned Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which had previously reaffirmed Roe. The Court declared that the undue burden standard from Casey was no longer valid (Cornell Law School Wex).

The Constitution does not confer a right to abortion. Roe and Casey are overruled.

— Justice Samuel Alito, majority opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022)

The implication: the debate over abortion now shifts to 50 state legislatures, with some moving quickly to ban or protect access.

Who Voted to Overturn Roe v. Wade and Who Voted to Uphold It?

Who gave the majority opinion in Roe v. Wade?

The original Roe v. Wade opinion was written by Justice Harry Blackmun in 1973 (Oyez). In Dobbs, Justice Samuel Alito authored the opinion for the majority.

How did each justice vote?

The vote to overrule Roe was 5-4. Justices Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett voted to overrule. Chief Justice John Roberts concurred in the judgment (upholding Mississippi’s 15-week ban) but did not join the part of the opinion that overruled Roe. Justices Breyer, Sotomayor, and Kagan dissented (Supreme Court syllabus).

The court has betrayed its trust.

— Justice Stephen Breyer, dissenting opinion in Dobbs (2022)

The pattern: every justice appointed by a Republican president voted to overrule Roe, while those appointed by Democratic presidents dissented.

What Happened After Roe v. Wade Was Overturned?

Within hours of the decision, abortion bans triggered in several states — including Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, and South Dakota (Network for Public Health Law). Other states had laws waiting for a trigger event.

Have abortions increased since Roe was overturned?

Data is still emerging and varies by state. One study found that in the year after Dobbs, the number of abortions decreased in states with bans but increased moderately in states where abortion remained legal (PubMed). The overall national count remained relatively stable as people traveled to other states.

What are the effects of Roe v. Wade being overturned?

The decision created a patchwork of state laws. As of early 2025, 14 states had near-total abortion bans, while others protected access (Center for Reproductive Rights). The Guttmacher Institute reported a significant increase in interstate travel for abortion services.

The aftermath shows that the legal battle has shifted from federal to state arenas, with unpredictable consequences.

Why Did Ruth Bader Ginsburg Not Like Roe v. Wade?

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a long-time critic of Roe’s legal reasoning. She argued that the decision went too far, too fast, and was vulnerable to political backlash (Harvard Magazine). She preferred a more incremental approach that framed abortion rights in terms of gender equality under the Equal Protection Clause.

Roe v. Wade…is not about women’s autonomy; it’s about doctors’ rights.

— Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, speaking in 2009

Why is it called Roe v. Wade?

The case is named after “Jane Roe,” the pseudonym for Norma McCorvey, the plaintiff, and Henry Wade, the Dallas County district attorney who enforced the Texas abortion ban (Oyez).

The catch: Ginsburg’s critique proved prescient — the broad ruling created a political target that the conservative legal movement spent 50 years dismantling.

Timeline: The Road to Overturning Roe v. Wade

• January 22, 1973 — Roe v. Wade decision establishes constitutional right to abortion (Oyez).
• June 29, 1992 — Planned Parenthood v. Casey reaffirms core holding of Roe (Cornell Law School Wex).
• May 17, 2021 — Supreme Court agrees to hear Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (Oyez).
• December 1, 2021 — Oral arguments in Dobbs case (Supreme Court of the United States).
• May 2, 2022 — Politico publishes leaked draft majority opinion (Harvard Magazine).
• June 24, 2022 — Supreme Court issues Dobbs decision, overturning Roe v. Wade (Ballotpedia).

This timeline illustrates the long arc of the legal campaign.

What’s Confirmed and What’s Still Unclear

Confirmed facts

• Roe was overturned on June 24, 2022 (Supreme Court of the United States).
• The vote was 5-4 to overrule (Harvard Kennedy School).
• The case is Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (Oyez).
• The majority opinion was written by Justice Samuel Alito (National Constitution Center).

What’s unclear

• The exact long-term impact on abortion numbers nationwide is still being studied (PubMed Central).
• Future federal legislation on abortion rights remains uncertain.

While the core facts are clear, the full consequences will take years to measure.

Summary

The overturning of Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022, ended a 49-year-old constitutional right and returned the abortion debate to the states. For women in states with abortion bans, the decision means limited access to care, while for the legal movement that spent decades working to overturn Roe, the challenge now shifts to defending those restrictions in court.

Related reading: USA News Today Headlines: Top Breaking Stories & Latest Updates

För en djupare förståelse av hur domstolen nådde detta beslut, se Roe v. Wade-upphävandets bakgrund.

Frequently Asked Questions

These answers provide a quick reference to the most common questions about the Dobbs ruling.