Eisenstadt v. Baird


William Baird v. Thomas Eisenstadt (County Sherriff, MA)--1972

 

 

William Baird gave away vaginal foam to a woman following his lecture on birth control and over-population at BostonUniversity.Sherriff Eisenstadt brought him to court and Baird was charged with a felony. Massachusetts law only allowed married couples to obtain contraceptives from registered doctors or pharmacists; Baird was neither.

 

The Supreme Court struck down this state law in Eisenstadt v. Baird, but not because of the �right to privacy.�The Court ruled that married and single individuals should be treated the same in the eyes of the law.This decision established the right of unmarried individuals to obtain contraceptives.