Louisiana has taken legal action against a California doctor who allegedly mailed abortion pills to a patient in the state last year, following a trend similar to recent measures in Texas. In a court filing on Sept. 19, Louisiana issued a warrant for the doctor’s arrest over the 2023 incident.
Rosalie Markezich case fuels debate
Rosalie Markezich and Louisiana’s attorney general have joined a lawsuit aiming to block telehealth access to abortion pills, including mifepristone, the drug most commonly used to end a pregnancy.
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The case is part of a broader, multi-state effort, with Louisiana, Florida, Texas, and a coalition of Republican-led states, including Idaho, Kansas and Missouri, challenging the federal approval of mifepristone.
Markezich said she would have carried her pregnancy to term if it weren’t for mail-order abortion pills. She told authorities that her boyfriend pressured her to take the medication after he obtained it from California doctor Dr. Remy Coeytaux.
Coeytaux is also facing a federal lawsuit filed in July by a man from Texas who claims the doctor unlawfully provided abortion pills to his girlfriend.
Markezich’s situation has become a focal point in the debate over whether states can restrict or block the mailing of abortion pills across the country.
California shield laws protect providers
California and seven other states have “shield laws” that protect abortion providers from legal action in states where abortion is heavily restricted. The state allows doctors to prescribe and mail abortion medications, like mifepristone, while shielding them from out-of-state investigations or legal action.
Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., signed AB 260 into law on Sept. 26, strengthening protections for health care providers for administering medication abortion drugs. These protections aim to ensure providers and patients can access reproductive care safely, even if other states, like Louisiana, take legal action against out-of-state doctors.
Louisiana abortion law explained
Louisiana is actively enforcing its abortion laws following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The ruling returned authority to states to regulate or restrict abortion.
In Louisiana, it is a crime to intentionally cause an abortion by providing or distributing abortion-inducing drugs. Violators can face imprisonment for 1 to 5 years and fines of up to $50,000. Penalties are higher if the abortion results in serious injury or death, or if the patient is under 18.
The law does not apply to licensed medical professionals providing lawful care, women taking the medication themselves or prescriptions for legitimate medical purposes not intended to end a pregnancy.
It is specifically aimed at anyone who knowingly provides or mails abortion-inducing drugs outside these legal exceptions, which is why out-of-state providers can be targeted under the law.
In Louisiana, patients who receive abortions can file civil lawsuits against the providers and others involved.
Earlier New York case highlights trend
In a similar case earlier this year, Louisiana issued an arrest warrant in February 2025 for Dr. Margaret Carpenter, a physician based in New York. A grand jury indicted Carpenter on charges of criminal abortion by prescribing and mailing abortion pills to a Louisiana minor, who later required hospitalization due to complications. Carpenter also faces similar charges in Texas. This month, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary announced a comprehensive review of the safety and effectiveness of mifepristone.
