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Sarah Weddington, who represented “Jane Roe” in the Roe v. Wade case before the Supreme Court 25 years ago, delivered the law school’s 1998 Edith House Lecture Sept. 23. She took the case pro bono, six years out of law school herself. She now teaches at the University of Texas. Some excerpts:
“It was kind of an instantaneous development of these [abortion rights] cases around the country. I thought I was underpinning a mountain of these cases, but I never thought mine would be the one to reach the U.S. Supreme Court.”
In the future, she says,
“I have a real feeling that whoever is elected will decide this issue by naming the Blackmun replacement.” [Blackmun wrote the opinion in Roe v. Wade].
“I think all of us end up with issues we are passionate about. . . . I didn’t start out to try a U.S. Supreme Court case. I just started out to do what I could. . . . I’m so glad that I became a lawyer. It has allowed me the skills, the voice. It has given me a way to have an impact.”
When asked if she personally believed in the cause she presented in Roe v. Wade she said, “It should not be the government’s decision. It should not be a stranger’s decision. It should solely be the woman’s choice and, whatever her decision, it should be supported.”
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