Dobbs

/dɑbz/
landmark US abortion rights case

The Supreme Court's decision in *Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization* overturned *Roe v. Wade*.

This sentence refers to the 2022 US Supreme Court case that ended federal constitutional protection for abortion rights.


Law
legal

A 2022 US Supreme Court case (*Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization*) that overturned *Roe v. Wade*, ending federal constitutional protection for abortion rights.

The *Dobbs* decision shifted abortion regulation to individual states.

This example shows how the case transferred authority over abortion laws from federal to state governments.

The case is commonly cited in discussions about reproductive rights, state sovereignty, and constitutional interpretation.

Collocations

Dobbs decisionthe ruling in *Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization*post-Dobbsafter the *Dobbs* ruling

Related Phrases

Roe v. Wadephrase
the 1973 US Supreme Court case that established constitutional protection for abortion rights
trigger lawsphrase
state laws designed to ban abortion immediately if *Roe* or *Casey* were overturned

Pro Tip

Distinguishing *Dobbs* from *Roe*

Remember that *Dobbs* (2022) overturned *Roe* (1973), ending federal protection for abortion rights. *Roe* established a constitutional right to abortion; *Dobbs* returned regulation to the states.

Gold Rule

Capitalization in legal contexts

Always capitalize *Dobbs* when referring to the case (*Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization*). Do not confuse it with the common noun 'dobs' (slang for a person's face or a police officer in some dialects).

Word Origin

Named after Thomas E. Dobbs, the Mississippi State Health Officer who was the defendant in the case. The case name follows the convention of *Plaintiff v. Defendant*.

Usage Notes

The term is almost always capitalized and italicized when referring to the case (*Dobbs*). In legal contexts, it may appear without italics but retains capitalization. The case is frequently discussed in relation to *Roe v. Wade* and *Planned Parenthood v. Casey*.

English Dictionary