Wisconsin Supreme Court Strikes Down 1849 Abortion Ban

The Wisconsin Supreme Court invalidated a state abortion ban that was enacted in 1849 and had been dormant for five decades.

The decision on Wednesday settles an uncertainty that has surrounded abortion law in the state since June 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, ending the constitutional right to an abortion nationwide.

It also reflects the significance of the state’s elections for Supreme Court justices, which have been hotly contested and revolved largely around abortion rights since the fall of Roe.