Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/21pdf/21-463_3ebh.pdf
Page Number: 32

Cite as:  595 U. S. ____ (2021) 

1 

ROBERTS, C. J., concurring in part and dissenting in part 
Opinion of ROBERTS, C.J. 

SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES 

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No. 21–463 
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WHOLE WOMAN’S HEALTH, ET AL., PETITIONERS v. 
AUSTIN REEVE JACKSON, JUDGE, DISTRICT 
COURT OF TEXAS, 114TH DISTRICT, ET AL. 

ON WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF 
APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT 

[December 10, 2021] 

  CHIEF  JUSTICE  ROBERTS,  with  whom  JUSTICE  BREYER, 
JUSTICE SOTOMAYOR, and JUSTICE KAGAN join, concurring 
in the judgment in part and dissenting in part. 
  Texas has passed a law banning abortions after roughly 
six weeks of pregnancy.  See S. B. 8, 87th Leg., Reg. Sess. 
(2021).  That law is contrary to this Court’s decisions in Roe 
v. Wade, 410 U. S. 113 (1973), and Planned Parenthood of 
Southeastern Pa. v. Casey, 505 U. S. 833 (1992).  It has had 
the effect of denying the exercise of what we have held is a 
right protected under the Federal Constitution.1   
  Texas has employed an array of stratagems designed to 
shield its unconstitutional law from judicial review.  To cite 
just a few, the law authorizes “[a]ny person,” other than a 
government official, to bring a lawsuit against anyone who 

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1 The law states that abortion providers may raise an “undue burden” 
defense, see ante, at 2, but that defense is no more than a distorted ver-
sion of the undue burden standard set forth in Casey, 505 U. S. 833.  The 
defense in the statute does not, for example, allow defendants to rely on 
the effect that an award of relief would have on others throughout the 
State,  see  Tex.  Health  &  Safety  Code  Ann. §171.209(d)(2)  (West  Cum. 
Supp.  2021),  even  though  our  precedents  specifically  permit  such  reli-
ance.    June  Medical  Services  L. L. C. v. Russo,  591  U. S.  ___,  ___–___ 
(2020) (opinion of BREYER, J.) (slip op., at 32–35).  The provision, after 
all, is entitled “Undue Burden Defense Limitations.”  See §171.209 (em-
phasis added).