A Texas judge has granted a woman's request for an abortion, marking a rare exception to the state's strict abortion laws.
Despite the court's ruling, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has warned Cox's physician that she could still face civil and criminal penalties for performing the court-ordered procedure.
The woman, Kate Cox, is 20 weeks pregnant and her fetus has been diagnosed with a fatal condition.
In a significant development in Texas, a judge has granted a woman's request for an abortion, marking a rare exception to the state's strict abortion laws. The woman, identified as Kate Cox, is 20 weeks pregnant and her fetus has been diagnosed with a fatal condition known as trisomy 18, a genetic disorder that is not expected to allow the baby to live more than a few days outside the womb.
Cox had been experiencing severe cramping and fluid loss, and her doctor warned that carrying the pregnancy to term could jeopardize her health and future fertility. Despite these complications, Cox had been unable to obtain an abortion due to the state's stringent abortion laws.
In response to Cox's situation, the judge issued a temporary restraining order, allowing her to obtain an abortion without facing civil or criminal penalties. This ruling is among the first attempts to seek a court-approved abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
However, despite the court's ruling, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has warned Cox's physician that she could still face civil and criminal penalties for performing the court-ordered procedure. This case is separate from a broader case involving five women who sued the state over its near-total abortion ban. The interpretation of medical exceptions to the abortion ban is being examined in another ongoing case, with the Texas Supreme Court expected to issue a ruling on this matter in June.
Despite the court's ruling, there is a warning from the Texas Attorney General that the physician could still face penalties for performing the procedure.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has warned Cox's physician that she could still face civil and criminal penalties for performing the court-ordered procedure.
Cox's baby was diagnosed with trisomy 18 and is not expected to live more than a few days outside the womb.
