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A state Supreme Court in New York has ruled that Texas cannot enforce a judgment against Dr. Margaret Daley Carpenter, a physician accused of prescribing abortion medication to a patient in Texas. The decision was made by Justice David Gandin in Kingston, who found that acting Ulster County clerk Taylor Bruck acted legally when he refused to file a $113,000 default judgment against Carpenter. Bruck cited New York's telehealth shield law, which prevents public officials from assisting out-of-state investigations targeting reproductive health care.
The case originated from a civil judgment in Texas, where Republican Texas State Attorney General Ken Paxton sought to enforce penalties against Carpenter for prescribing abortion pills via telemedicine to a woman in the Dallas area. However, New York's shield law, which is among similar laws in at least eight states, protects healthcare providers from legal actions initiated in other states.
Justice Gandin ruled that the medical services provided by Carpenter are legal in New York and fall within the definition of "legally protected health activity" under the state's shield law. Bruck expressed relief at the decision, stating, "It seemed very clear to me that as a government employee I should not be complying with this." The ruling sets a precedent for the application of New York's shield law, although it remains uncertain if the decision will be appealed by Texas.
In a related development, New York Governor Kathy Hochul recently rejected a request from Louisiana to extradite Carpenter, who faced charges for prescribing abortion pills to a pregnant minor in that state. The New York Attorney General Letitia James's motion to intervene in the case was denied by Justice Gandin, as the constitutionality of New York's shield law was not directly challenged in this instance.