‘Betrayal’: chief justice orders inquiry into leak of draft abortion ruling

John Roberts says leak of opinion to overturn Roe v Wade intended to undermine the integrity of our operations'

John Roberts, the US chief justice, has announced an investigation into a leak showing that the supreme court provisionally voted to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v Wade case that legalised abortion nationwide.

Publication of the draft opinion by the Politico website on Monday night sparked demonstrations outside America's highest court, condemnation from Joe Biden and fears that the judiciary has suffered profound damage to its reputation for independence.