melissa: jane roe was norma jean mccorvey. she was a young woman married to a man who was some years older. she was already a mother of two children when she found herself pregnant. the marriage was troubled, often abusive, and she sought to terminate her pregnancy. she wasn't able to in texas. she passed the point of liability, and she tried to say she had been the victim of a rape. there was no police report documenting that. she wasn't able to take advantage of the loophole in the texas law that permitted abortion in limited cases. she found herself going to henry mccluskey, an adoption lawyer in texas, to make arrangements for an adoption. mccluskey was friends with a woman who was thinking of filing a case that was in need of a dallas-based plaintiff. the rest is history. susan: norma mccorvey is described as a dallas carnival worker. she herself, it was said years later that she had no understanding of the legal system and thought this case would be settled in time for her to get permission to have the abortion. of cours

wanting to terminate an unwanted , norma mccorvey agreed to be the plaintiff in 1970 case. anonymous,she remain the lawsuit listed her as jane roe. the defendant was dallas county district attorney henry wade. the pregnant woman had gone to several physicians seeking an abortion. she was refused care because of the texas law. she filed suit on behalf of herself and all those women who have in the past as at the present time would seek termination of a pregnancy. we would discuss the court withion and its impact melissaorsythe and murray. that is live monday night at 9:00 eastern time. order your copy of the landmark cases companion book. >> next week is author's week on the washington journal. a featured nonfiction author each day. smith, former missouri state senator. john whitehead, author of battlefield america, the war on the american people. on is the guest on wednesday, author of how the , exclusion ands exploitation and the threat to democracy. , to talk about , the minorityics party in the house of representatives. , discusses his book last act, the final years and

>> wanting to terminate an unwanted pregnancy but unable to, unmarried dallas carnival worker or mccorvey agreed to be the plaintiff in 1970 case that challenge them off the question she remain anonymous philosopher listed her as jane roe and the defendant charged with enforcing the ban was dallas county district attorney henry wade. thus. she had the baby and put it up for adoption, her case made it all the way to the supreme court. >> gone to several seeking an abortion but was refused care because of the texas law. she filed suit on behalf of herself and all those women who have in the past and the present times or in the future saw determination of termination of a pregnancy. >> discuss the court's decision, its impact in and now with our guest clerk, senior counsel with americans united for life and author of abuse of discretion with the inside story. and professor at the university of california berkeley law school and former law clerk for sonia soto mayor. that is live tonight at 9:00 o'n eastern9:00 o'clock eastern on c-span, c-span three and c-span radio. for background order you

susan: norma mccorvey is described as again -- dallas carnival worker. it was said she had no role understanding of the legal system and thought this case be settled in time for her to have the abortion. how did she proceed in the legal system? will you walk us through the process for her? this case was one of 20 in the courts of but in this case, she got pregnant in the summer of 1969. she gave birth about the time her case was in federal court sometime in january or march of 1970. she was connected to her cocounsel. the two of them filed the case in march of 1970. as quickly as a couple months they had in the world argument before the three-judge district court in dallas and by october, they were heading to the supreme court. reviewas no intermediate at this time because three-judge district court's could do -- could go to the court without any review. this is one of the ironies and problems about roe versus wade. there was no factual record so all of the details we might play out about norma mccorvey's life will not in the opinion. there was no trial,

. >> norma mccorvey is described as a dallas carnival worker. herself, it was said years later that she had no understanding of the legal system and thought this case would be settled in time for her to get permission to have the abortion. of course, courts don't work that quickly. how did she proceed in the legal system, and would you walk us through the process? this case was actually one of 20 that were in the courts, but in this case, she got pregnant in the summer of 1969. she gave birth at about the time her case was in federal court, sometime in january or march of 1970. -- the two ofted them filed a case in march of 1970, and as quickly as a couple months later, i think it was june of 1970, they had an oral argument before the three-judge district court in dallas, and by october, they were heading off to the supreme court. there was no intermediate appellate review. three-judge district courts could go straight to the supreme court. this is one of the points, one of the ironies about roe versus wade. there was no factual record. all of t

. >> wanting to terminate an unwanted tenancy, but unable to because of texas state law, norma mccorveyeed to be the plaintiff in the case. wanting to be anonymous, she was listed as "jane roe." wasopposing attorney district court attorney henry wade. he case made it all the way to the supreme court. >> she has been refused care because of texas law. she filed suit on behalf of herself and those women who have , in the past, or in the future, received termination of a pregnancy. >> we will speak about wrote the impactroe v. wade, its then and now. we will speak with clark melissa murray. that is live, monday night, at on0 p.m. eastern time c-span, c-span3, and c-span radio. order your copy of the landmark for $8.95anion book c-span.org.g on >> with cumbersome holiday the future whole lineup of primetime programming. the new series, "limerick cases." --landmark cases." tuesday night at 8:00, we talk about a cultural divide in america. charleston aht, church- charlestone ame hosts a discussion on gun violence. book tv, nonfiction books and authors. tuesday night at 8:00 features books on

. >> wanting to terminate an unwanted pregnancy, but unable to, norma mccorvey agreed to be the plaintiff in a 1970 case that challenged that law. requesting she remain anonymous, the lawsuit listed her as jane roe and the defendant was henry wade. while she had the baby and put it up for adoption, her case made it to the supreme court. >> jane doe had guarded the position seeking an abortion, but had been refused care because of a tex law. she filed suit on behalf of herself and all those women who have in the past and that present time or in the future, would seek termination of a pregnancy. >> we'll discus the court's decision, its impact, then and now. with our guest, clark forsythe, senior council with americans for life and abusive discretion and melissa murray, professor at the university of california berkeley law school and former law clerk for sonia sotomayor, prior to her appointment to the supreme court. that's live monday night at 9:00 eastern on cspan, cspan 3 and cspan radio. and for background on each case while you watch, order your copy of the landmark cases companion bo