Hellerstedt

Hellerstedt is a 2016 Supreme Court case that focused on regulations for abortion clinics in Texas. The Court ruled that certain strict laws, like requiring doctors to have hospital admitting privileges and clinics to meet surgical center standards, placed an undue burden on women seeking abortions. Essentially, the Court decided that laws must balance safety with access, and overly restrictive regulations that limit options without clear medical benefit are unconstitutional. Hellerstedt clarified that states cannot impose unnecessary burdens on the right to abortion, emphasizing the importance of patient safety without unnecessarily restricting access.