579 U.S. 582 (2016)
Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt is a landmark Supreme Court case that significantly shaped the legal landscape surrounding abortion rights in the United States.
Does Texas House Bill 2 impose an undue burden on a woman's right to seek an abortion in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment?
The Supreme Court applied the 'undue burden' standard established in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which holds that any state law imposing significant obstacles in the path of a woman seeking an abortion before fetal viability constitutes an unconstitutional burden on the right to choose. The Court emphasized that states must demonstrate that their regulations are justified by legitimate health concerns and that they do not create substantial obstacles for women seeking abortions.
The Supreme Court held that Texas House Bill 2 imposed an undue burden on a woman's right to seek an abortion, thereby violating the Fourteenth Amendment. The Court found that the law's requirements did not provide significant health benefits to women and instead created substantial obstacles to accessing abortion services. The decision was a 5-3 ruling, with Justice Stephen Breyer writing the majority opinion, which emphasized the importance of evidence in assessing the validity of state regulations on abortion.
Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt is a critical case for law students as it reinforces the constitutional protections surrounding reproductive rights and the application of the undue burden standard. The ruling has had a lasting impact on subsequent abortion-related legislation across the United States, setting a precedent that requires states to provide substantial evidence when enacting laws that restrict access to abortion services.