NY county clerk refuses to file Texas' fine for doctor accused of prescribing abortion pills [View all]

Source: AP

Updated 8:59 PM EDT, March 27, 2025


A county clerk in New York refused Thursday to file a more than $100,000 judgment from Texas against a doctor accused of prescribing abortion pills to a woman near Dallas, setting up a potential challenge to laws designed to shield abortion providers who serve patients in states with abortion bans.

A Texas judge last month ordered Dr. Margaret Carpenter, who practices north of New York City, to pay the penalty for allegedly breaking that state’s law by prescribing abortion medication via telemedicine. The Texas attorney general’s office followed up last week by asking a New York court to enforce the default civil judgment, which is $113,000 with attorney and filing fees.

The acting Ulster County clerk refused.

“In accordance with the New York State Shield Law, I have refused this filing and will refuse any similar filings that may come to our office. Since this decision is likely to result in further litigation, I must refrain from discussing specific details about the situation,” Acting Clerk Taylor Bruck said in a prepared statement. Republican Texas State Attorney General Ken Paxton said he was outraged by the refusal and signaled he would take action.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pills-lawsuit-texas-new-york-carpenter-e97d5c38d9429083d03c2a7b385cbbfd