Roe v. Wade

Prayers, marches and protests kicked off in Washington on Jan. 22 to mark the 40th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion, even as battles over the issue have largely shifted from the federal courts to statehouses.

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Jane Roe, left, a Texas cleaning woman whose pregnancy led to the 1973 landmark decision legalizing abortion, walks with her attorney Gloria Allred outside the Supreme Court Wednesday, April 27, 1989 in Washington. Roe, whose real name is Norma McCorvey, observed the high court as it heard arguments in Missouri case which could overturn the Roe vs. Wade decision. (AP Photo/J.Scott Applewhite)
Jane Roe, left, a Texas cleaning woman whose pregnancy led to the 1973 landmark decision legalizing abortion, walks with her attorney Gloria Allred outside the Supreme Court Wednesday, April 27, 1989 in Washington. Roe, whose real name is Norma McCorvey, observed the high court as it heard arguments in Missouri case which could overturn the Roe vs. Wade decision. (AP Photo/J.Scott Applewhite)