๐Ÿ“œintro to political science review

Lawrence v. Texas

Written by the Fiveable Content Team โ€ข Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team โ€ข Last updated September 2025

Definition

Lawrence v. Texas is a landmark Supreme Court case from 2003 that invalidated sodomy laws in the United States, thereby affirming the rights to privacy and sexual autonomy of consenting adults. It overturned previous rulings, notably Bowers v. Hardwick (1986), and set a new precedent for privacy rights and LGBTQ+ legal protections.

"Lawrence v. Texas" also found in: