BIGELOW v. VIRGINIA

Legal Principle at Issue

An advertisement carried in appellants newspaper led to his conviction for a violation of a Virginia statute that made it a misdemeanor, by the sale or circulation of any publication, to encourage or prompt the procuring of an abortion. The issue is whether the editor-appellant's First Amendment rights were unconstitutionally abridged by the statute.

Action

Reversed. Petitioning party received a favorable disposition.