After the Texas Supreme Court temporarily put a pregnant woman鈥檚 efforts to get an emergency abortion on hold, her lawyers said Monday that she had left Texas to get care in another state.
Kate Cox, the lead plaintiff in Cox v. Texas, initially from a Travis County district judge on Dec. 7 allowing her to have the procedure. But Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton petitioned the state鈥檚 Supreme Court to reverse Judge Maya Guerra Gamble鈥檚 order later that night, saying she had abused her discretion by issuing it. Paxton also penned a letter threatening liability to any hospital or doctor who facilitates an abortion.
The Supreme Court temporarily halted the order late Friday night, but indicated that it would consider the matter before issuing a final ruling.
鈥淲hile we still hope that the Court ultimately rejects the state鈥檚 request and does so quickly, in this case we fear that justice delayed will be justice denied,鈥� Cox's attorney Molly Duane said in a statement on Friday, following the Supreme Court鈥檚 stay. 鈥淲e are talking about urgent medical care. Kate is already 20 weeks pregnant.鈥�
Cox鈥檚 fetus was diagnosed with trisomy 18, a condition that is almost always fatal. She was warned by doctors that continuing the pregnancy to delivery could have a severe impact on her health and ability to carry future pregnancies.
On Monday, Duane filed a notice with the Texas Supreme Court saying that Cox had left Texas to receive medical care. However, she said they intended to move forward with Cox鈥檚 case as the issues included in it are 鈥渃apable of repetition.鈥�
鈥淭his past week of legal limbo has been hellish for Kate,鈥� said Nancy Northup, president and CEO at the Center for Reproductive Rights, in a statement. 鈥淗er health is on the line. She鈥檚 been in and out of the emergency room and she couldn鈥檛 wait any longer. This is why judges and politicians should not be making healthcare decisions for pregnant people鈥攖hey are not doctors.鈥�
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