Supreme Court to Hear Major Abortion Case that Could ‘Gut Roe v. Wade’

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Friday to take up a major abortion case that pro-choice groups fear will “gut Roe” but that pro-life advocates hope will lead to the reversal of the landmark decision.

At issue is a 2014 Louisiana law that requires every abortion doctor to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the clinic. 

The Supreme Court struck down a similar Texas law in 2016, when Justice Anthony Kennedy – who supported Roe v. Wade – sided with the majority in a 5-3 decision. But since then, Kennedy has been replaced by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, and Justice Neil Gorsuch has taken the seat formerly held by Antonin Scalia, who opposed Roe but who died four months before the decision was released. 

It is rare for the Supreme Court to take up a second case that is so similar to an earlier one – especially within a mere few years of the first decision. Although the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the law, the Supreme Court could have reversed that court without hearing oral arguments. The high court is expected to hear the case next year.

Pro-choice advocates and analysts say the Supreme Court appears poised to reverse its 2016 decision. 

It will be the high court’s first abortion case since Kennedy – who was a swing vote on the issue – retired. 

The liberal website Slate.com posted a story under the headline,…