Elaine W. v. Joint Diseases North General Hospital (N.Y. 1993)
In Elaine W. v. Joint Diseases North General Hospital, 81 N.Y.2d 211 (1993), pregnant women who were denied admission to an inpatient detoxification program challenged the hospital’s categorical exclusion as sex discrimination under New York State's Human Rights Law. The hospital defended its policy on safety grounds, asserting that it lacked obstetrical services and could not treat any pregnant patient.