Swing state judge strikes down 24-hour abortion waiting period as unconstitutional

A Michigan judge ruled on Tuesday that the state's 24-hour waiting period and informed consent rules restricting abortion were unconstitutional.

The waiting period, which allows abortion-seekers to consider their options before the procedure, was voted into the state constitution by Michigan voters in 2022, before being challenged in a 2024 lawsuit filed by abortion rights groups.

"The mandatory delay exacerbates the burdens that patients experience seeking abortion care, including by increasing costs, prolonging wait times, increasing the risk that a patient will have to disclose their decision to others, and potentially forcing the patient to forgo a medication a...