In a leaked draft obtained by Politico, Justice Alito writes "We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled,” upending nearly 50 years of precedence guaranteeing federal constitutional protections to abortion access. 

Pro-Choice North Carolina has issued the following statement: 

Tonight’s leaked draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization confirmed what we have long known: Anti-abortion justices on the U.S. Supreme Court are ready and willing to overturn nearly 50 years of judicial precedence to push their unpopular and undemocratic anti-abortion agenda. 

Given that Roe v. Wade has always been the floor and not the ceiling for abortion access, removing this final federal protection of even minimal abortion access will be devastating for millions of people in the U.S.

We must be clear what has been leaked is a draft, not the final decision. Abortion is still legal in all 50 states, and clinics are still open and providing care to patients, including here in North Carolina. This will remain the case until the Dobbs decision is released later this spring. 

What is also clear is we must act urgently to protect the access we do have in North Carolina. We can’t allow anti-abortion judges and elected officials to continue playing politics with people’s lives. 

Abortion is a normal, common, and basic part of reproductive health care and has been for as long as people have been getting pregnant. Shutting down abortion clinics, forcing patients to scramble for funds to cover costs, shaming patients about their actions and decisions, belittling patients' lives and experiences, and even banning abortion outright will not stop people from seeking abortions when they need them. It never has.

While we've expected this outcome ever since the previous administration stacked the Court with anti-abortion justices, it will still be a tremendous loss for millions around the country. In North Carolina, we're worked tirelessly and have stopped any new abortion restrictions from passing for the last six years. We will continue that fight, and we invite everyone who believes in abortion access, reproductive freedom, bodily autonomy, gender equity, and democracy to join us!