NY Doctor Wanted in Louisiana Over Abortion Pills Now in Trouble in Texas, Too

DALLAS, Texas (KPEL News) - A Texas judge has fined a New York doctor more than $100,000 for prescribing abortion pills to a woman near Dallas, but it's not the first time that doctor has gotten in trouble for prescribing to an out-of-state patient.

Dr. Maggie Carpenter of New York has also been indicted in Louisiana for prescribing an abortion-inducing pill to a minor. That pill led to the minor being hospitalized briefly. The child's mother was also indicted for obtaining the prescription for her daughter.

Get our free mobile app

Texas Takes Civil Action, Louisiana Seeks Criminal Charges

State District Judge Bryan Gantt issued a $100,000 fine against Carpenter and ordered her to pay attorney’s fees. The ruling also includes an injunction barring her from prescribing abortion medication to Texas residents.

The Texas lawsuit, filed by the state’s Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, argued that Carpenter violated state law by prescribing abortion pills via telemedicine to a 20-year-old woman who later experienced complications that led to hospitalization.

The fine came on the same day New York Governor Kathy Hochul refused an extradition order from Louisiana. Unlike Texas, which only pursued civil action, Louisiana has taken a more aggressive approach.

Prosecutors in West Baton Rouge Parish have charged Carpenter with violating the state’s near-total abortion ban, which could carry a prison sentence of up to 15 years. Louisiana officials say the minor who received the pills suffered a medical emergency and was hospitalized. The girl's mother was also charged and has since turned herself in to authorities.

Governor Jeff Landry has pushed for Carpenter’s extradition, saying in a recent statement that she must "stand trial and justice will be served."

Carpenter, New York Stand Their Ground

Hochul, a Democrat, said she would not sign an extradition order, declaring, "Not now, not ever." She also instructed New York law enforcement agencies not to cooperate with out-of-state warrants related to abortion law violations.

Carpenter, who co-founded the Abortion Coalition for Telemedicine, has been vocal about her position. The group's executive director, Julie Kay, stated that Texas' ruling does not override shield laws in states where abortion remains legal, adding that patients can still access abortion medication from licensed providers.

When Carpenter was initially indicted in Louisiana, Hochul blasted the charge in a video statement released via her social media.

Supporters of the Louisiana law note the doctor prescribed the pill to a minor, who was coerced by her mother to take it. The minor wanted to keep the child, even planning a gender reveal party for the baby.

A Looming Legal Battle

These cases are among the first major tests of how courts handle abortion pill prescriptions across state lines in the wake of Roe v. Wade’s reversal. Texas and Louisiana have some of the strictest abortion laws in the country, while states like New York and California have implemented legal protections for doctors providing abortion services remotely.

With both Texas and Louisiana pushing legal action against out-of-state providers, and Democratic-led states refusing to cooperate, the battle over abortion access is now playing out in courtrooms across the country. Legal experts say these cases could set new precedents for how states enforce abortion laws across state lines.

As the legal fights continue, the issue remains deeply divisive, with opponents arguing that states should have the right to regulate abortion within their borders, while advocates insist that shield laws protect doctors who are following the laws of their own states.

For now, Carpenter remains free in New York, but with lawsuits mounting in Texas and criminal charges pending in Louisiana, this legal battle is far from over.