New York legal official plans intervention in Texas court case concerning access to abortion pills
In a significant legal dispute, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and New York Attorney General Letitia James are locked in a court battle over Texas' ban on abortion pills. The conflict began in December 2024 when Paxton sued Dr. Margaret Carpenter, a co-founder of the Abortion Coalition for Telemedicine, for prescribing abortion drugs to a Texas woman.
Paxton, who has joined over a dozen other attorneys general from Republican-led states in July in calling on Congress to take action against abortion shield laws, sued the acting Ulster County Clerk, Taylor Bruck, later that month. The Texas Attorney General argued in a court document that New York's shield law violates the U.S. Constitution's full faith and credit clause.
However, Bruck, citing his state's shield law, refused to file the judgment. He rejected a second Texas attempt to enforce the judgment in July. New York's shield law, passed in 2023 following the overturn of Roe v. Wade, protects its residents from out-of-state extremists, according to James. She has formally notified the case's judge of her decision to argue for New York's legal right and will submit a legal filing later this month to argue that New York has the right to safeguard its residents and courts against "out-of-state overreach."
James responded to Paxton's labeling of her as a "lawless abortionist" with a statement, saying, "Our shield law exists to protect New Yorkers from out-of-state extremists, and New York will always stand strong as a safe haven for health care and freedom of choice." She also emphasised that the state will defend its residents' rights and its courts' independence.
Meanwhile, in Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott has yet to take action on the legislation passed during the second special session, which allows private residents to sue anyone who manufactures or distributes abortion drugs to or from the state. The legal battle over shield laws is expected to reach the U.S. Supreme Court.
Judge Andrew Hanen, who is hearing the legal dispute between James and Paxton, made a Collin County judge order the New York doctor to stop providing abortion pills to Texans and to pay over $113,000 in penalties and fees. However, the outcome of this legal battle remains uncertain, as both sides strongly advocate for their respective positions.
Shield law protections exist in over 20 states, and this court case could set a precedent for future legal disputes between states over abortion rights. As the legal battle continues, both Texas and New York are standing firm in their positions, with potential implications for reproductive rights across the United States.
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