Texas Woman Granted Permission By Judge To Have An Abortion, AG Warns Of Potential Charges Against Doctor

The ruling only applies to Cox.

A Texas woman has been granted the right to have an abortion after suing the state over its ban of pregnancy terminations. The 31-year-old mother of two, identified as Kate Cox, received a fatal diagnosis for her fetus at 20 weeks and petitioned the court to approve the procedure, CNN reported.

Cox is reportedly the first woman to ask a judge for permission for an oportion since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the historic Roe v Wade decision in 2022. The ruling only applies to Cox, and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton warned the woman’s physician that criminal and civil penalties could follow the completed procedure.

The ban is lifted for 14 days and allows for the Dallas woman to face no charges for going through with the potentially life-saving abortion.

“I do not want to continue the pain and suffering that has plagued this pregnancy or continue to put my body or my mental health through the risks of continuing this pregnancy,” Cox said. “I do not want my baby to arrive in this world only to watch her suffer.”

Cox’s baby was diagnosed with trisomy 18 and is not expected to live more than a few days outside the womb, The Associated Press reports. Democratic State District Judge Maya Guerra Gamble granted a restraining order of the state’s restriction to Cox. “The idea that Mrs. Cox wants desperately to be a parent, and this law might actually cause her to lose that ability is shocking and would be a genuine miscarriage of justice,” Gamble said. “So I will be signing the order and it will be processed and sent out today.”

Cox, who has already had two deliveries by cesareans sections, would be at high-risk of “uterine rupture and hysterectomy” if she were to have an induced labor. Molly Duane, Cox’s attorney, said they are considering “the fastest way to get her abortion care” but did not disclose the details of their next steps, citing safety concerns over the controversial decision.

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