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Eisenstadt v. Baird (1972)

Definition

This is a landmark Supreme Court case that established the right of unmarried people to possess contraception on the grounds of equal protection under the 14th Amendment.

Analogy

Think of this like a school dress code. If it's okay for seniors (married people) to wear hats, then it should also be okay for juniors (unmarried people) to wear hats too. The rule (law) should apply equally to everyone, regardless of their status.

Related terms

Griswold v. Connecticut (1965): This was an earlier Supreme Court case that ruled married couples had a constitutional right to privacy regarding contraceptive use.

Equal Protection Clause: Part of the 14th Amendment, this clause provides that no state shall deny any person within its jurisdiction "the equal protection of the laws."

Fourteenth Amendment: An amendment to the U.S Constitution ratified in 1868 granting citizenship and equal civil and legal rights to African Americans and slaves who had been emancipated after the American Civil War, including them under the umbrella phrase 'all persons born or naturalized in the United States.'