Why are the federal appeals courts so important to the survival of Roe?
The federal appeals courts, or circuit courts of appeal, are organized by region and have the final say in their respective regions unless their decisions are reviewed and overturned by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court reviews very few cases each year, so it is likely that some appeals (circuit) court abortion decisions will be the last word, at least for the states covered by the circuit court making the decision. For example, in February 2001, the Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal of a decision by the conservative 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, VA, upholding a South Carolina regulation that imposes a variety of restrictions on first trimester abortions (Greenville Women’s Clinic v. Bryant). The restrictions range from permitting the state to copy and remove patient records to requiring testing for sexually transmitted diseases and mandating structural and administrative requirements for abortion providers that are not required of other health care facilities. Bec
