# Why "John Doe"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-john-doe/131074>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 6, 2002, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-john-doe/131074 "2002-10-06T15:24:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/13edae/32.png) [@Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Cheatem_Undhow)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2002, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-john-doe/131074/21 "2002-10-10T15:26:11Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by OxyMoron \*  
> \*\*Perhaps the most famous example in United States is Roe v. Wade; Wade was a district attorney in Texas, and “Jane Roe” an anonymous woman later revealed to be Norma McCorvey. \*\*

Which, of course, begs the question: why is it not _Doe_ v. Wade?

[/hijack]

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**Author:** ![Hoopy\_Frood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoopy_frood/32/8452_2.png) [@Hoopy\_Frood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoopy_Frood)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2002, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-john-doe/131074/22 "2002-10-10T18:56:42Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Dewey Cheatem Undhow \*  
> \*\*Which, of course, begs the question: why is it not _Doe_ v. Wade?
> 
> [/hijack] \*\*

There was another case at the time that was a companion to Roe v. Wade called Doe (Sandra Cano) v. Bolton. Doe v. Bolton determined the regulations on when abortions could be performed (i.e. no restrictions during the first trimester, some restrictions allowed during the second, even more allowed during the third). Although Roe v. Wade was decided first, it’s possible they were both filed around the same time, and who got Roe and who got Doe was arbitrary. (Maybe even Doe was actually filed first.)

Granted, I have no significant law background, so unless one of the people more knowledgeable about these things can confirm or add more to this, take it for what its worth (i.e. little more than the pixels on your monitor).

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**Author:** ![Find\_Friends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@Find\_Friends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Find_Friends)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2002, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-john-doe/131074/23 "2002-10-10T19:21:34Z")

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John Doe? Doe?! As in “dough”? $$$?

It’s a mystery to me. It certainly precedes pay toilets!

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