Sarah Weddington, lawyer who helped convince the Supreme Court to legalize abortion in Roe, is dead at 76
Sarah Weddington, one of the lawyers who convinced the Supreme Court to recognize a legal right to abortion in the 1973 case Roe v. Wade, died Sunday at her home in Austin, according to a former student, Susan Hays. Weddington was 76 and had been in poor health, but the proximate cause of death isn't known, Hays told The Associated Press.
Weddington was a 26-year-old recent graduate from the University of Texas Law School when she and a former classmate, Linda Coffee, brought a class-action lawsuit in 1970 against Dallas County District Attorney Henry Wade on behalf of Norma McCorvey, identified at the time only as Jane Roe, a pregnant Dallas woman prohibited from terminating her pregnancy under a Texas law.
Weddington argued before the Supreme Court twice, in December 1971 and October 1972. Seven justices sided with her in 1973, legalizing abortion nationwide. "A lot of people together won Roe v. Wade," Weddington told a group of UT students in 1998. "We give it to you proudly so it can be passed down to other generations." The Supreme Court is expected to significantly weaken or overturn Roe in 2022 and has allowed a Texas law effectively banning most abortions to stay in effect.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Before Roe was decided, Weddington won a Texas state House seat representing the Austin area in 1972. She served three terms before being named the first female general counsel of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, then an adviser to President Jimmy Carter on women's issues. Weddington taught at Texas Women's University and was a professor at UT-Austin for 28 years, the Austin American-Statesman reports.
Weddington was raised in Abilene, in West Texas, the daughter of a minister. She will be buried in Austin, in the Texas State Cemetery, not too far from former Gov. Ann Richards (D), she wrote in a 2012 essay in The Texas Observer. "My gravesite is about 50 feet away from hers. Hopefully, when I call the Texas State Cemetery home, we will have great late-night conversations, remembering our battles of the past and celebrating the victories that live after us."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
3 tips to lower your household bills
The Explainer Prices on everything from eggs to auto insurance to rent have increased — but there are ways to make your bills more manageable
By Becca Stanek, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: November 11, 2024
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudoku hard: November 11, 2024
The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Dame Maggie Smith: an intensely private national treasure
In The Spotlight Her mother told her she didn't have the looks to be an actor, but Smith went on to win awards and capture hearts
By Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, The Week UK Published
-
James Earl Jones: classically trained actor who gave a voice to Darth Vader
In The Spotlight One of the most respected actors of his generation, Jones overcame a childhood stutter to become a 'towering' presence on stage and screen
By The Week UK Published
-
Michael Mosley obituary: television doctor whose work changed thousands of lives
In the Spotlight TV doctor was known for his popularisation of the 5:2 diet and his cheerful willingness to use himself as a guinea pig
By The Week UK Published
-
Morgan Spurlock: the filmmaker who shone a spotlight on McDonald's
In the Spotlight Spurlock rose to fame for his controversial documentary Super Size Me
By The Week UK Published
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76
Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproar
Speed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain Prize
Speed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published