<P> Lawrence v. Texas , 539 U.S. 558 ( 2003 ) is a landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court . The Court struck down the sodomy law in Texas in a 6 - 3 decision and , by extension , invalidated sodomy laws in 13 other states , making same - sex sexual activity legal in every U.S. state and territory . The Court , with a five - justice majority , overturned its previous ruling on the same issue in the 1986 case Bowers v. Hardwick , where it upheld a challenged Georgia statute and did not find a constitutional protection of sexual privacy . </P>
what did the supreme court rule in lawrence v. texas in 2003
invalidated sodomy laws in 13 other states , making same - sex sexual activity legal in every U.S. state and territory