Roe Isn't Super . . . or Super-Precedent

October 13, 2020

In the second day of Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s Senate confirmation hearing, many members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, particularly Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), questioned the Supreme Court nominee about the concept of “super-precedent.” Barrett has previously written that seven cases are currently understood by legal academics as super-precedent, including Brown v. Board of Education. She defined super-precedent as “cases that no justice would overrule, even if she disagrees with the interpretative premises from which the precedent proceeds.” Barrett said at the hearing that, according to this definition, Roe v. Wade does not qualify as super-precedent.

When asked why Brown is super-precedent and Roe is not, Barrett explained that Brown is super-precedent because the Supreme Court decided that the “separate but equal doctrine” is unconstitutional and because the American people have accepted the Court’s decision as settled law. Segregation is a horrible stain on our nation’s history. Thankfully, it is now accepted that racism and segregation is a moral evil that will no longer be tolerated in our country. Because there are no legal challenges advocating for segregation, Brown is clearly settled law.

Barrett said Roe does not qualify as super-precedent because the American people have not accepted this Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in all 50 states. She is right. Many American people believe abortion is a moral evil that should not be tolerated in our country. The Republican Party platform supports a human life amendment to the Constitution clarifying that the unborn are protected by the 14th Amendment. The March for Life, which draws hundreds of thousands of people from all over the country, takes place every January in Washington, D.C. on the anniversary of Roe.  

Quite significantly, a number of states have passed strong pro-life laws in recent years, and there are also numerous lawsuits currently challenging abortion.

Last year, Alabama passed a comprehensive law affirming and protecting human life at all stages—a model for how to fully protect life. States have defunded abortion and abortionists. Other states like Colorado are proposing ballot measures to protect life this fall. Certain states like Nebraska have passed dismemberment bans, and others have passed laws protecting the dignity of the remains of the unborn. Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Ohio have all passed heartbeat bills. These bills seek to prohibit abortion when a heartbeat can be detected, which can be as early as six weeks into pregnancy. States have passed laws that aim to protect the targeting of children with Down syndrome in the womb or other special needs. States have passed laws protecting children from being aborted simply because of their race or gender. The eugenic act of ending children’s lives based on their identity is another reason why many Americans refuse to accept Roe as settled law.

By contrast, no major party has a platform advocating for segregation. No states are calling for segregation to be legalized. There is no annual march in support of segregation. The notion of “separate but equal” is viewed by Americans as being unconstitutional. Therefore, Brown deserves to be deemed super-precedent.

While our country has overcome the evil of segregation, the stain of abortion is still with us. Many Americans long for a day when abortion’s unconstitutionality is settled law, and the most vulnerable among us are protected under the law. Until that day, we will continue to fight for the unborn to have the right to life. As long as Americans refuse to accept it, Roe will remain unsettled law that does not deserve to be considered super-precedent. Judge Amy Coney Barrett is correct when she says Roe v. Wade is not super-precedent.