Lawrence v. Texas 2003

Could Texas criminalize intimate conduct between adults of the same sex?

539 U.S. 558 (2003)Liberty and privacy

The question: Could Texas criminalize intimate conduct between adults of the same sex?
What the Court held: No. The law violated liberty protected by the Due Process Clause.
The vote: 6–3
Overruled: Bowers v. Hardwick (1986), 17 years earlier.
Era: After September 11
Read the opinion: 539 U.S. 558 (2003), full text

This page summarizes the Court’s judgment in neutral terms. The opinion, concurrences and dissents are the authority; read them for the reasoning.