381 U.S. 479 (1965)
Griswold v. Connecticut is a landmark Supreme Court case that established the constitutional right to privacy, particularly in the context of marital relations and contraception.
Does the Constitution protect the right of marital privacy against state restrictions on a couple's ability to use contraceptives?
The Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution implicitly guarantees a right to privacy, which encompasses the right of married couples to make decisions regarding contraception without government interference. This right is derived from various amendments that create 'zones of privacy' in the Bill of Rights.
The Supreme Court held that the Connecticut law prohibiting the use of contraceptives violated the right to marital privacy. The Court's decision was a 7-2 ruling, with Justice William O. Douglas writing the majority opinion. The Court found that the law was an unconstitutional intrusion into the private lives of individuals and that the state could not impose such restrictions on the intimate decisions of married couples.
Griswold v. Connecticut is a foundational case in constitutional law that significantly advanced the concept of privacy rights in the United States. It established a legal precedent that has been cited in numerous subsequent cases, including Roe v. Wade, which further expanded the right to privacy to include a woman's right to choose to have an abortion. The case is often viewed as a critical turning point in the legal recognition of individual liberties against state interference.