19 Facts About Sarah Weddington

Sarah Catherine Ragle Weddington was an American attorney, law professor, advocate for women's rights and reproductive health, and member of the Texas House of Representatives.

Sarah Weddington was best known for representing "Jane Roe" in the landmark Roe v Wade case before the United States Supreme Court.

Sarah Weddington was the first female General Counsel for the US Department of Agriculture.

Sarah Weddington graduated from high school two years early and then graduated with a bachelor's degree in English from McMurry University in Abilene.

Sarah Weddington was one of only five women in her law school class of 120.

In 1967, during her third year of law school, Sarah Weddington became pregnant by Ron Sarah Weddington and travelled to Mexico for an illegal abortion, a fact she did not reveal until 1992.

Sarah Weddington received her JD that same year, graduating in the top quarter of her class.

Sarah Weddington joined a group of graduate students at University of Texas-Austin who were researching ways to challenge various anti-abortion statutes.

In May 1970, Sarah Weddington first stated her case in front of a three-judge district court in Dallas.

In 1971 and again in the fall of 1972, Sarah Weddington appeared before the Supreme Court.

At the time of her first Supreme Court presentation, Sarah Weddington was 26 years old and had never tried a legal case.

Sarah Weddington's argument was based on the 1st, 4th, 5th, 8th, 9th, and 14th amendments, as well as the Court's previous decision in Griswold v Connecticut, which legalized the sale of contraceptives based on the right of privacy.

In 1989, Sarah Weddington was portrayed by Amy Madigan in the television film Roe vs Wade.

In 1992, Sarah Weddington compiled her experiences with the case and interviews with the people involved into a book titled A Question of Choice.

Sarah Weddington attended the historic 1977 National Women's Conference in Houston as a Texas delegate speaking on the resolution of women's reproductive freedom.

In 1977, US President Jimmy Carter's administration chose Sarah Weddington to serve in the United States Department of Agriculture, and from 1978 to 1981 she served as his assistant.

Sarah Weddington served as a speaker and adjunct professor at the University of Texas at Austin until 2012.

Sarah Weddington died at her home in Austin on December 26,2021, at age 76, after a period of declining health.

Sarah Weddington held honorary doctorates from McMurry University, Hamilton College, Austin College, Southwestern University, and Nova Southeastern University.