Americans who value freedom and privacy must remain committed to protecting the independence and objectivity of our courts. The federal judiciary, composed of the U.S. Supreme Court and lower federal courts, has historically played a key role in ensuring civil rights for ordinary Americans. Today, the right wing is determined to take over the courts and roll back these rights.

In 1973, the Supreme Court guaranteed a woman's right to choose abortion with its landmark decision Roe v. Wade. In the last three decades, the Court has repeatedly upheld Roe's core principles, but it has limited its protections for many women and continues to take cases from lower federal courts in which opponents of legal abortion have tried to restrict women's access to reproductive choice.  

The U.S. Supreme Court
The Supreme Court is the nation's most powerful court. Although it only hears a fraction of the cases brought in federal and state courts, its decisions set precedent for every court in the nation.

On April 18, 2007, the Supreme Court handed down its decision to uphold the Federal Abortion Ban in Gonzales v. Carhart and Gonzales v. Planned Parenthood. This decision shows Bush's appointees have moved the Court in a direction that could further undermine Roe v. Wade and protections for women's health. Click here to learn more.

The Federal Court System
Most cases affecting reproductive rights are brought in federal courts. The federal court system encompasses three layers of courts with ascending authority. Cases begin at the trial court level in the federal district courts. Federal district court decisions may be appealed to federal circuit courts of appeals, and federal circuit courts of appeals decisions (as well as some state Supreme Court decisions) may be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.