Michigan Court Strikes Down 24-Hour Abortion Waiting Period Following Voter-Backed Amendment

On May 14, 2025, a Michigan judge invalidated the state's 24-hour waiting period required before an abortion, citing conflicts with a constitutional amendment ratified by voters in 2022. This amendment explicitly guarantees Michiganders the right to reproductive freedom, including abortion access.

The court ruling was delivered by Judge Sima Patel, who stated that the mandatory 24-hour delay unjustly burdens individuals seeking abortion care and infringes upon their constitutional rights. Previous attempts to enforce the waiting period were temporarily blocked in 2024 during ongoing litigation.

In addition to overturning the waiting period, the judge also struck down regulations requiring abortion providers to display fetal development charts and provide information about alternatives, deeming such mandates coercive and stigmatizing. The ruling further eliminated restrictions that limited performing abortions solely to physicians, allowing other qualified health professionals to provide care.

These legal challenges were initiated by Northland Family Planning Centers and Medical Students for Choice, emphasizing the importance of abortion rights in Michigan. While the state's attorney general and health department officials acknowledged the unconstitutionality of these regulations, they were defended in court.

The 2022 constitutional amendment, supported by nearly 57% of voters, reinforced abortion rights following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Michigan’s governor, Gretchen Whitmer, welcomed the ruling as a affirmation of individual reproductive autonomy, emphasizing that Michigan remains a state where personal medical decisions are protected from political interference.

This decision marks a significant shift in Michigan’s reproductive health landscape and underscores ongoing legal and political debates surrounding abortion access.