Pam Belluck

Yeah, so it's actually two cases from two different states. They just happened to involve the same New York doctor, Dr. Margaret Carpenter. Dr. Carpenter lives in New Paltz, New York, and she has been a longtime reproductive health provider. And under SHIELD laws, she's been prescribing abortion pills to patients in all 50 states.

Yeah, so it's actually two cases from two different states. They just happened to involve the same New York doctor, Dr. Margaret Carpenter. Dr. Carpenter lives in New Paltz, New York, and she has been a longtime reproductive health provider. And under SHIELD laws, she's been prescribing abortion pills to patients in all 50 states.

So the first case is actually a civil suit that was brought against Dr. Carpenter, and that suit accuses Dr. Carpenter of prescribing and sending abortion medication to a 20-year-old woman in Texas last summer. And it says that after the woman took the pills, she asked her partner to take her to the emergency room because she was bleeding.

So the first case is actually a civil suit that was brought against Dr. Carpenter, and that suit accuses Dr. Carpenter of prescribing and sending abortion medication to a 20-year-old woman in Texas last summer. And it says that after the woman took the pills, she asked her partner to take her to the emergency room because she was bleeding.

Now, it's worth noting that medication abortion is very safe and that bleeding is part of what happens during a medication abortion process because it is the pregnancy tissue being expelled. And so it's not that uncommon for women to wonder if they're bleeding at an appropriate level and not.

Now, it's worth noting that medication abortion is very safe and that bleeding is part of what happens during a medication abortion process because it is the pregnancy tissue being expelled. And so it's not that uncommon for women to wonder if they're bleeding at an appropriate level and not.

There, apparently, her partner learned that she was nine weeks pregnant, and he suspected that she wasn't just having a miscarriage. So he went back to their home, and he found the medications with Dr. Carpenter's name on the prescription, and he reported this to the attorney general's office.

There, apparently, her partner learned that she was nine weeks pregnant, and he suspected that she wasn't just having a miscarriage. So he went back to their home, and he found the medications with Dr. Carpenter's name on the prescription, and he reported this to the attorney general's office.

And so in December of last year, the attorney general of Texas sued Dr. Carpenter for basically violating Texas's abortion ban. And so under the SHIELD law, Dr. Carpenter and her lawyers did not respond to the civil suit. They didn't show up in court. They didn't file any sort of response.

And so in December of last year, the attorney general of Texas sued Dr. Carpenter for basically violating Texas's abortion ban. And so under the SHIELD law, Dr. Carpenter and her lawyers did not respond to the civil suit. They didn't show up in court. They didn't file any sort of response.

And so as a result, a judge in the case has ordered a fine of about $113,000 and also issued a permanent injunction that says Dr. Carpenter is prevented from sending abortion pills to patients in Texas again.

And so as a result, a judge in the case has ordered a fine of about $113,000 and also issued a permanent injunction that says Dr. Carpenter is prevented from sending abortion pills to patients in Texas again.

Right. So this is where the showdown with the SHIELD law is being set up, right? Texas judge issues a punishment and now Texas wants to enforce its punishment. And so this spring, the state of Texas goes to New York, to the county where Dr. Carpenter lives, and it tries to file a document that says, we are asking you in New York to compel Dr. Carpenter to pay up and to honor the injunction.

Right. So this is where the showdown with the SHIELD law is being set up, right? Texas judge issues a punishment and now Texas wants to enforce its punishment. And so this spring, the state of Texas goes to New York, to the county where Dr. Carpenter lives, and it tries to file a document that says, we are asking you in New York to compel Dr. Carpenter to pay up and to honor the injunction.

And the New York clerk says, hold up. No, we are not even accepting this court document from you. We're not even going to let you establish a case number here. We are just, you know, not having it under the shield law.

And the New York clerk says, hold up. No, we are not even accepting this court document from you. We're not even going to let you establish a case number here. We are just, you know, not having it under the shield law.

Well, it's definitely an unusual thing for a county clerk to be doing in most cases. But in this situation, New York has been one of the states that has really made a big deal out of their shield law and their determination to protect abortion rights in this way. And so they have educated and trained officials across the state. to be ready if something like this comes across their desk.

Well, it's definitely an unusual thing for a county clerk to be doing in most cases. But in this situation, New York has been one of the states that has really made a big deal out of their shield law and their determination to protect abortion rights in this way. And so they have educated and trained officials across the state. to be ready if something like this comes across their desk.

In this case, the county clerk was ready and said, sorry, we are stopping you before you even reach the courthouse door. So right now we have a legal standoff, right? We have a civil judgment in Texas that Texas is not able to enforce.

In this case, the county clerk was ready and said, sorry, we are stopping you before you even reach the courthouse door. So right now we have a legal standoff, right? We have a civil judgment in Texas that Texas is not able to enforce.