https://doi.org/10.4081/mem.2011.161

Evoluzione della giurisprudenza costituzionale statunitense in materia d'aborto (I)

V. 60 N. 4 (2011)
Pubblicato: agosto 30, 2011
Aborto, Stati Uniti, giurisprudenza, biodiritto / Abortion, United States of America, case-law, bio-law
Abstract Views: 1429
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Autori

Fabio Persano
fabio.persano@rm.unicatt.it
Dottorando di Ricerca in Bioetica, Istituto di Bioetica, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia "A. Gemelli", Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy.
Negli Stati Uniti il dibattito sull'aborto è un tema sempre molto caldo. Questo saggio, diviso in due parti (la seconda parte sarà pubblicata sul prossimo numero della rivista) prova a ripercorrere l'evoluzione della giurisprudenza costituzionale statunitense in materia d'aborto, evidenziando i cambiamenti che ciascuna decisione ha apportato al quadro giuridico precedente. In questa prima parte viene chiarito anzitutto il meccanismo di funzionamento del sistema di giustizia costituzionale statunitense e il ruolo della Corte Suprema Americana nell'ordinamento giudiziario. Viene poi dato spazio ai prodromi di Roe v. Wade (che è la prima sentenza importante in materia d'aborto), ed in particolare alle sentenze che hanno pronunciato il diritto all'uso degli anticoncezionali: fra queste Griswold v. Connecticut ed Eisenstadt v. Baird. E' anche importante la decisione United States v. Vuitch del 1971, che già si occupa dell'aborto ed interpreta la Costituzione nel senso di una tendenza alla liberalizzazione. La sentenza più importante è comunque la ben nota Roe v. Wade (1973), cui è dedicata un'ampia trattazione, con particolare attenzione ai passaggi della motivazione della Suprema Corte che hanno portato ad affermare il diritto all'aborto nella scansione trimestrale che poi è stata imitata anche dal legislatore italiano. Nel presente saggio vengono avanzate dure critiche a Roe v. Wade, critiche condivise - oltretutto - da alcuni giudici della Corte Suprema Americana, di cui si riportano stralci dell'opinione dissenziente. Accanto a Roe v. Wade, è molto importante anche la meno nota sentenza Doe v. Bolton dello stesso giorno, che precisò cosa dovesse intendersi per "salute della donna": tale fattore era stato ritenuto da Roe v. Wade decisivo ai fini del riconoscimento della libertà di abortire. Con Doe v. Bolton la salute della donna viene estesa fino a ricomprendere praticamente qualsiasi cosa. Questa prima parte si conclude con l'analisi di alcune decisioni successive a Roe e Doe, ed in particolare Webster v. Reproductive Health Services, che costituisce in parte già un passo in controtendenza rispetto a Roe. Nel prossimo numero della rivista vedremo quali ulteriori cambiamenti ci sono stati nella giurisprudenza costituzionale statunitense in materia d'aborto.
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Abortion debate is always a hot subject in the United States. This essay, divided into two parts (the second part is going to be published on the next issue of this review) tries to go along the development of U.S. constitutional case-law about abortion, pointing out the change that each judgement caused to the previous law picture. In this first part, the functioning of U.S. constitutional judicial system and the role of U.S. Supreme Court in its judiciary are primarily explained. Then, some space is given to the premonitory signs of Roe v. Wade (that is the first important judgement about abortion), and to the judgement in particular that delivered the right to contraception: Griswold v. Connecticut and Eisenstadt v. Baird. Also United States v. Vuitch in 1971 is important: this judgement is already about abortion and interprets the Constitution in the trend of permission. However, the most important judgement is Roe v. Wade (1973): a wide treatment is dedicated to it, particularly to the passages about the Supreme Court reasoning that affirmed abortion right in the trimestral sharing, imitated by the italian legislator too. In this essay there are hard blames to Roe v. Wade: moreover, a few Supreme Court judges agree with blames and extracts of dissenting opinion are reported. Next to Roe v. Wade, also the less-known judgement Doe v. Bolton is very important: it is contemporary to Roe and it stated precisely what was "woman health": this element was considered decisive by Roe in order to recognize the abortion right. In Doe v. Bolton woman health was enlarged and took in almost everything. This first part ends up with the analysis of a few following Roe and Doe judgements; in particular Webster v. Reproductive Health Services is a partial coming back as to Roe. In the next issue we will see the further subsequent changes in U.S. constitutional case-law about abortion.

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Come citare

Persano, F. (2011). Evoluzione della giurisprudenza costituzionale statunitense in materia d’aborto (I). Medicina E Morale, 60(4). https://doi.org/10.4081/mem.2011.161

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