Griswold v. Connecticut

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Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) Facts: Griswold and Dr. Buxton operated a Planned Parenthood facility in New Haven, Connecticut. Buxton, a licensed physician and professor at the Yale Medical School, served as the facility’s Medical Director. Griswold was the Executive Director of the Planned Parenthood League of Connecticut. On November 10, 1961, both were arrested for giving information, instruction, and medical advice to married persons as to the means of preventing conception. They had violated statutes 53-22 and 54-196 of the General Statutes of Connecticut (1958 rev). 55-22 made the use of any drug, medical article, or instrument to prevent conception a crime punishable by fine or jail. The latter held anyone who “assists, abets, counsels, causes, hires or commands another to commit any offense” as liable as the principal offender. The appellants were found guilty as accessories and fined $100 each. The case Poe v. Ullman (1961) dealing with the same statute, had been brought before the Court, but they refused to hear the case because no one had been charged with a crime. Constitutional Question: Does the Constitution protect the right of privacy of married couples under the Due Process clause of the 14th Amendment? Legal Reasoning: Justice Douglas delivered the opinion to the Court. The right to privacy can be implied from the provisions of various amendments. Although not explicitly stated in the Bill of Rights, the court has held that they are constitutionally protected. The Bill of Rights has "penumbras," created by "emanations from these guarantees that help give them life and opinion", and guarantee “zones of privacy” for individuals. These privacy rights are derived from the First Amendment’s right of association, the Third Amendment’s quartering of soldiers (spatial privacy), the Fourth Amendment’s unreasonable search and seizure
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