Griswold v. Connecticut

Griswold v. Connecticut is a major landmark judgment of the Supreme Court of the United States, where it was stated that the United States Constitution protects the right to privacy. The reason for the judgment was a law in Connecticut, which had prohibited the use of funds for contraception. A vote of 7 to 2 judges' votes declared the law invalid on the grounds that it violated the right to " privacy in the marriage." For the prevention of pregnancy and, ultimately, abortion was legalized in the United States. This decision is highly controversial, especially in the so-called Red States.

Background

The affected from Connecticut law, which was passed in 1879, forbade the use of " any drug, medicinal article or instrument with the aim of preventing conception ." Previous attempts to review the legality of the law failed.

In the case of " Tileston v. Ullman " of 1943 tried a doctor on the grounds that the contraceptive ban would in certain situations endanger the lives and well-being. The Supreme Court rejected the application because it is not the plaintiff is entitled to sue on behalf of his patients. A second attempt - Poe v. Ullman (1961 ) - was introduced by a doctor with patient. However, the Supreme Court ruled that there were really to decide any controversy, because the plaintiff would not be prosecuted for a violation of the law.

Shortly after this decision opened Estelle Griswold (Executive Director of the Planned Parenthood League of Connecticut ) and Dr. C. Lee Buxton ( physician and professor at the Yale School of Medicine ) a birth control clinic in New Haven to test the contraceptive law. Shortly after the opening of the clinic, they were arrested, tried and found guilty. Both should pay 100 U.S. dollars. The conviction was sustained by the Court of Appeal and the Connecticut Supreme Court of Errors. Estelle Griswold then appealed to the Supreme Court.