Abortion: Rights and Interests

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to abortion rights, legal precedents, and related ethical issues as discussed in the lecture notes.

Fetus

A developing human whose legal personhood is debated.

Rights under law

Legal entitlements such as personal control and bodily independence.

Government interest

The state's concern for women's health and potential human life.

Right to privacy

A fundamental right granting a woman control over her body.

Viability

The point in fetal development (\approx24 weeks) when it can survive outside the womb.

Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992)

Supreme Court case that upheld abortion rights and established the undue burden test.

Stare Decisis

Legal principle of deciding cases based on past rulings (precedent).

Undue Burden

Legal standard for abortion laws that create major obstacles.

Rational Basis Review

Court standard to evaluate laws affecting non-fundamental rights.

Euthanasia

Intentionally ending a person's life to stop suffering.

Substantive Due Process

Legal doctrine protecting fundamental rights from government intervention.

Assisted Suicide

Providing the means for someone to end their own life, sparking ethical and legal debate.

Personhood laws

Laws that give legal rights to a fetus, potentially redefining 'person'.

Parental Consent

Legal need for minors to get parent's/guardian's permission for an abortion.

Liberty under Due Process

14th Amendment right to make personal decisions free from government interference.

Snyder v. Massachusetts (1934)

Case that clarified due process boundaries for fundamental rights.

Washington v. Glucksberg (1997)

Supreme Court case: no constitutional right to assisted suicide.

Sanctity of Life

The belief that all life is sacred and must be protected.

Slippery Slope Concern

Worry that allowing one act (e.g., assisted suicide) could lead to more extreme outcomes.