A Texas appeals court recently convened to deliberate on a civil lawsuit involving Maria Rojas, a midwife from the Houston area, who faces allegations of breaching the state’s stringent abortion laws and operating without a valid medical license. The hearing did not yield an immediate verdict, but a decision is anticipated in the forthcoming weeks.
The case against Rojas centers around a lower court’s injunction that resulted in the closure of three clinics she managed in the areas of Waller, Cypress, and Spring, with an additional location in Katy also mentioned in legal documents from the Attorney General’s office. These clinics primarily catered to low-income individuals, uninsured patients, and Spanish-speaking communities.
Rojas is currently facing 15 felony charges in a related criminal case, comprising three counts of performing illegal abortions and 12 counts of practicing medicine without a license. If found guilty of the most serious allegations, she could potentially face a life sentence. Previously, she spent ten days in jail under a $1.4 million bond and is currently under electronic monitoring, with her midwifery license suspended.
The Attorney General’s office has also implicated eight other individuals connected to the clinics, which have been characterized by officials as part of an “illegal cabal” of unlicensed practitioners.
During the recent court proceedings, Rojas’s attorneys, representing the Center for Reproductive Rights, argued that the state’s investigation lacked rigor and was based on unfounded conclusions. They pointed out that the key evidence cited by the prosecution, the possession of misoprostol, is a commonly used medication by midwives for managing miscarriages and labor, rather than definitive proof of illegal abortion practices.
In response, prosecutors from the Attorney General’s office maintained that the injunction was crucial to avert “irreparable injury.” They highlighted Rojas’s extensive use of her Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination during prior hearings, which could allow the court to infer negatively about her actions, contributing to the initial injunction.
A status hearing for Rojas’s criminal case is scheduled for June 3, 2026, in the Waller County District Court. This case is particularly notable as it represents the first criminal prosecution of a healthcare provider under Texas’s Human Life Protection Act since the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
The forthcoming decision from the appeals court regarding the civil injunction is expected soon and may significantly influence how Texas authorities investigate and prosecute healthcare providers under the state’s rigorous abortion regulations.
