The reactionary movement spawned by the deregulation of the uterus: the Christian conservative legal movement’s decades-long battle in response to Roe

Abstract

The debate on the right to choose has become one of the most polarizing issues within American law and politics. Since the landmark decision of​Roe v. Wade​ (1971), the conservative legal movement has been looking for ways to overturn it and began to find its niche in the 1980s, only after the liberal legal movement dominated largely from the 1960s through the 1970s. Shortly thereafter, the conservative legal movement gained momentum and the pro-life movement found where it belonged. This research will address how the Christian right has been able to efficiently mobilize to incrementally challenge the right to choose and the organizational tactics behind this movement. The relative successes of the conservative legal movement can be attributed to a vast network of attorneys, donors, academics, and elected officials. The influence of dark money groups will be discussed in regards to abortion rights in the United States, as well. Given the current trajectory of the conservative legal movement, it appears that the right to choose will likely remain intact, but will face difficult challenges in the near future.