Roe v. Wade (1973), a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case, established that most laws against abortion violate a constitutional right to privacy, overturning existing state laws outlawing or restricting abortion. It is one of the most controversial decisions in Supreme Court history. The case originated in Texas in March 1970 when Sarah Weddington, a young Austin attorney, brought a lawsuit on behalf of Norma McCorvey, an unmarried pregnant Texas woman, to overturn the state's anti-abortion law. The name "Jane Roe," a standard alias for anonymous plaintiffs, was used to protect McCorvey's identity.