Comparative Law: Abortion, Death Penalty, Assisted Dying in UK & US

This report provides a comparative legal analysis of abortion, the death penalty, and assisted dying in the UK, the US, and the Republic of Ireland. It begins by examining abortion laws, detailing the Abortion Act 1967 in the UK, the legal status influenced by Roe v. Wade in the US, and the restrictions in Ireland. The report then explores the legality of assisted dying and euthanasia, highlighting the illegality in the UK under the Suicide Act 1961, the varying legal stances in the US, and the illegality in Ireland. Finally, the report addresses the death penalty, noting its abolition in the UK and Ireland, and its continued use in some US states. The report includes references to relevant legislation and legal cases, offering a concise overview of these critical legal issues.

Summarize the laws relating to abortion, the
death penalty and assisted dying?

Table of Contents
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................2

MAIN BODY
1. ABORTION:
UK
Abortion in UK are regulated by Abortion Act 1967 with this abortion has been made legal in
UK. Condition on basis of which this can be allowed is to save the life of woman and or the child
to be born might have certain mental or physical abnormalities.
US
In the US with the judgments of case Roe V Wade in 1973 by supreme court and with further
discussion abortion was made legal but it is still restricted by the states at different levels and
degrees.
Republic of Ireland:
In the Republic of Ireland, abortions are illegal unless it is performed with intervention of
medicine and it is done to save the life of woman.
2. ASSISTED DYING OR EUTHANASIA:
UK
Suicide Act (1961):
Both euthanasia and assisted dying is illegal in UK (Suicide Act 1961, 2018).
US
In some stats of US assisted dying is legal but this requires consent of the ill person and family
along with this mental competency of physical of patient is also determined.
Republic of Ireland:
It is illegal in Ireland well, the court in a case stated that there is no constitutional right to die.
3. DEATH PENALTY
UK
Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act 1965
In the UK death pantiles are abolished and this was scarped in the parliament in 1969.As per
section 1 of this act no person shall be given death penalty for a murder (Murder (Abolition of
Death Penalty) Act 1965, 2018).
US:
As on 2018 capital punishment is legal in 31 states of US. In 2017, 23 people were executed in
US.
1

Republic of Ireland::
Death penalty was abolished in year 1990. last person to be executed here was Michael Manning
in year 1954, for a murder.
2

REFERENCES
Online
Medical termination of pregnancy. 2018. [Online]. Available through
:<https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1967/87/section/1>.
Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act 1965. 2018. [Online]. Available through
:<https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1965/71/section/1>.
Suicide Act 1961. 2018. [Online]. Available through
:<http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/9-10/60/section/2>.
3