On Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard a case that was a frontal challenge to Roe v. Wade, the nearly 50-year-old decision that established a constitutional right to abortion.

The case in front of the justices was about a Mississippi law that bans abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

For the state to win, the court, which now has a conservative majority, would have to do real damage to the central tenet of the Roe ruling.

We explore the arguments presented in this case and how the justices on either side of the political spectrum responded to them. 

Guest: Adam Liptak, a reporter covering the Supreme Court for The New York Times.

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Background reading: 

• After oral arguments, the Supreme Court seemed poised to uphold the Mississippi abortion law. Whether it will overrule Roe v. Wade remains unclear.
• Here’s what to know about the Mississippi law.

For more information on today’s episode, visit 

nytimes.com/thedaily

. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.