Roe v. Wade Attorney
Sarah Weddington
Interview
Coming soon!
Notes from Evan Smith
"Dr. Sarah Weddington is a nationally-known attorney and is particularly well known for her work on issues affecting women.
In 1973, at age 26, she argued the winning side of the landmark case Roe v. Wade, one of the most famous cases in U.S. History. In that case, the U.S. Supreme Court held that there is a constitutional right of privacy for individuals to decide whether to continue or terminate an unwanted pregnancy.
She is thought to be the youngest woman ever to win a case in the Supreme Court.
In 1972, she was the first woman from Austin elected to the Texas House of Representatives. She served three terms before becoming the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s General Counsel in 1977, the first woman to ever hold that position.
From 1978 to 1981, Weddington served as Assistant to the President of the United States. She was designated by President Carter to direct the Administration’s work on women’s issues and leadership outreach. She also directed White House efforts to extend the time for ratification of the ERA and to assist in the selection of women for federal judiciary appointments.
Weddington is the author of the bestseller, A Question of Choice, which details the Roe v. Wade case.
Weddington has received numerous honors and awards. In 2000, Texas Lawyer named her as "One of the Most Influential Lawyers of the 20th Century," and The Houston Chronicle named her as one of "The Tallest Texans -- Those who left their mark on Texas and the rest of the world in the 20th Century."
She received her JD degree from The University of Texas School of Law in 1967 and is a Distinguished Alumna of McMurry University in Abilene, Texas. She is now a speaker, attorney and adjunct professor of pre-law at the University of Texas at Austin." - Evan Smith, Texas Monthly Talks, Broadcast 7.10.03
