Source: National Foundation for Life; May 30, 2001 Roe and Doe to File Amicus Briefs in Case to Overturn Roe v. Wade Roe and Doe to File Amicus Briefs in Case to Overturn Roe v. Wade Philadelphia, PA -- The plaintiffs in the two landmark Supreme Court cases of Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, the two companion cases decided on January 22, 1973 which compelled legalized abortion throughout the nation, are appearing in Philadelphia on Thursday, May 31, 2001, to personally file Friend of the Court briefs with the United States Court of Appeals. In their briefs they tell the Courts why the decisions in their own landmark cases have proven to be harmful to the rights of women and why the decisions in their own cases should be overturned. Norma McCorvey (Jane Roe in Roe v. Wade) and Sandra Cano (Mary Doe of Doe v. Bolton) are filing their Friend of the Court briefs in the case of Donna Santa Marie, et al v. Christine Todd Whitman, et al. The Santa Marie case is a federal class action suit brought by five women (three of whom had abortions that were performed without voluntary or informed consent) who argue that New Jersey's abortion laws violate the most important constitutional rights of women. Harold Cassidy, lead counsel for the Santa Marie plaintiffs, known for his work advancing mother's rights (he was Chief Counsel, among other cases, in the famous Baby M surrogate mother case) stated that the underlying cases that prompted the Santa Marie plaintiffs to file the class action suit "demonstrate how abortion laws are destroying the real rights of women." There will be a press conference at 11:00AM on Thursday, May 31, at the Holiday Inn of Independence Park. Following the conference Norma McCorvey and Sandra Cano will address a group of women who have expressed support for the Santa Marie plaintiffs. The address will take place at the Liberty Bell Pavilion at Noon, just before Ms. McCorvey and Ms. Cano walk their briefs to the Court of Appeals for filing. The Santa Marie case represents the first instance in which women have brought law suits which attack Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton and seek to have the Supreme Court decisions in those cases set aside. Over the past twenty-five years, all of the federal suits which argued in support of a right to an abortion have only been brought by abortion doctors and abortion clinics. No women who wanted abortions have been plaintiffs in those cases, and the courts have allowed the abortion doctors to litigate what the doctors claimed were the constitutionally protected interests of the women. Now the two women who were the plaintiffs in the twenty-eight year old landmark cases of Roe v. Wade are joining forces with the women who are the Santa Marie plaintiffs in their opposition to the abortion industry, which they say has been destroying the real rights of women. The Santa Marie plaintiffs have gained the notice of many women throughout the country who feel they were mistreated by the abortion industry, and a new women's movement has begun behind their message. A short synopsis of the case and the plaintiffs' stories are available upon request. To obtain copies, or for further information about the cases, please contact Gene Tarne or Michelle Powers of Tarne, Powers & Associates at 703-684-8352.