| − | In '''''Stenberg v. Carhart''''', 530 U.S. 914 (2000), the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] decision which invalidated state laws against [[partial-birth abortion]], specifically declaring as unconstitutional a [[Nebraska]] law that outlawed [[abortion|partial-birth abortion]]. The case was predicated on the practice of [[late term abortion | late term abortionist]] [[LeRoy Carhart]].<ref>[http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/99-830.ZD2.html | Stenberg v Carhart]</ref> The Court invalidated these laws even though they had never been applied, contrary to its ruling in ''[[United States v. Salerno]]'', 481 U.S. 739, 745 (1987), that a facial challenge to a statute can succeed only if there are no circumstances in which the statute may be applied constitutionally. The Court did not even cite or distinguish the ''Salerno'' rule. | + | In '''''Stenberg v. Carhart''''', 530 U.S. 914 (2000), the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] decision which invalidated state laws against [[partial-birth abortion]], specifically declaring as unconstitutional a [[Nebraska]] law that outlawed [[abortion|partial-birth abortion]]. The case was predicated on the practice of [[late term abortion]]ist [[LeRoy Carhart]].<ref>[http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/99-830.ZD2.html Stenberg v Carhart]</ref> The Court invalidated these laws even though they had never been applied, contrary to its ruling in ''[[United States v. Salerno]]'', 481 U.S. 739, 745 (1987), that a facial challenge to a statute can succeed only if there are no circumstances in which the statute may be applied constitutionally. The Court did not even cite or distinguish the ''Salerno'' rule. |
| | This ruling was by the narrowest of margins, 5-4, and one of the Justices in the majority ([[Sandra Day O'Connor]]) has been replaced by Justice [[Samuel Alito]]. | | This ruling was by the narrowest of margins, 5-4, and one of the Justices in the majority ([[Sandra Day O'Connor]]) has been replaced by Justice [[Samuel Alito]]. |