Supreme Court abortion ruling updates: WH warns of ‘nightmare scenarios’

The Supreme Court voted to overrule the decisions of Roe and Casey.

ByMeredith Deliso, Mark Osborne, Nadine El-Bawab, Mary Kekatos, Alexandra Svokos, Kate Pastor, Haley Yamada, Stephanie Guerilus , and Melissa Gaffney
Last Updated: June 29, 2022, 4:29 PM EDT

The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade decision in a much-anticipated ruling Friday in one of its biggest decisions this term.

The court voted 5-4, largely along party lines, to overturn Roe and 6-3, in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which involved Mississippi's ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

Abortion rights supporters react to the overturning of Roe v Wade outside the United States Supreme Court in Washington, June 24, 2022.
Mary F. Calvert/Reuters

It appeared that the panel's conservative majority of justices was ready to overturn nearly 50 years of established abortion rights after last month's leaked draft decision indicated as much.

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Here's how the news is developing. All times Eastern.
Jun 24, 2022, 10:44 AM EDT

Anti-abortion groups call court ruling historic victory

A celebration outside the U.S. Supreme Court, June 24, 2022, in Washington after the court ended constitutional protections for abortion.
Steve Helber/AP

Anti-abortion groups praised the Supreme Court decision to overturn federal abortion rights on Friday.

"Today marks an historic human rights victory for unborn children and their mothers and a bright pro-life future for our nation,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B Anthony Pro-Life America, in a statement.

"Every legislature in the land, in every single state and Congress, is now free to allow the will of the people to make its way into the law through our elected representatives," Dannenfelser added.

Students for Life, another pro-abortion group, also called the ruling a "win," saying, "Roe v. Wade has been a cancer growing in our Constitution resulting in more than 63 million deaths. Today, the court has cut it out."

“The injustice of Roe has finally come to an end, and the momentum to protect life in law is finally on the side of innocent preborn children and their mothers who deserve our help,” said Students for Life President Kristan Hawkins.

Jun 24, 2022, 10:36 AM EDT

House minority leader applauds abortion decision

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, along with Republican Whip Rep. Steve Scalise and GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, immediately lauded the decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health.

"Every unborn child is precious, extraordinary, and worthy of protection," the trio of GOP leaders wrote in a statement minutes after the decision was announced. "We applaud this historic ruling, which will save countless innocent lives.

"The Supreme Court is right to return the power to protect the unborn to the people’s elected representatives in Congress and the states. In the days and weeks following this decision, we must work to continue to reject extreme policies that seek to allow late-term abortions and taxpayer dollars to fund these elective procedures."

McCarthy added "more work remains" to protect the most vulnerable among us.

Jun 24, 2022, 10:26 AM EDT

Supreme Court overturns Roe, leaves abortion decisions up to states

The Supreme Court struck down 50 years of precedent on Friday, striking down abortion rights at the federal level.

"We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled," Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the majority opinion. "The Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision, including the one on which the defenders of Roe and Casey now chiefly rely—the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment."

For full details on the ruling, click here.