AG Denise George Issues Statement on the Impact of the United States Supreme Court Decision on Local Abortion Law

CHARLOTTE AMALIE — The Attorney General’s Office said it has received numerous calls and inquiries after yesterday’s United States Supreme Court ruling in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.

This case overturned th e cases of Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. These two cases determined that a women had a fundamental right in their choice to have an abortion.

Recently, however, the Supreme Court shifted gears. In a 79-page opinion written by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, the Court stated that “[an]abortion presents a profound moral question. The Constitution does not prohibit the citizens of each State from regulating or prohibiting abortion. Roe and Casey arrogated that authority. We now overrule those decisions and return that authority to the people and their elected representatives.”

In essence, the Supreme Court found the legal reasoning in Roe and Casey to be deficient. It did not, however, ban the states and territories of this nation to allow abortion. Abortion in the Virgin Islands is legal and shall remain legal until such time that our Virgin Islands Legislature states otherwise.