Do minors have a legal right to an abortion?
ANSWER Yes; The U.S. Supreme Court held in Roe v. Wade that a woman has a legal right to an abortion. Although the case dealt with adult women, later Supreme Court decisions held that this right extends to minors. A minor’s right to consent to an abortion, however, varies from state to state, with some requiring parental notification and/or consent. 26 states have laws in effect mandating the involvement of at least one parent in the decision making process. In 16 of these states, a minor must have the consent of one or both parents, and in the other 10, one or both parents must be notified prior to the abortion. However, while a state may require parental consent or notification in order for a minor to terminate a pregnancy, a state may only do so if it gives the minor a confidential alternative to parental involvement. Under this alternative procedure – commonly referred to as a judicial by-pass – a minor may obtain authorization for an abortion from a judge (or administrative agency
