Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a legal victory this month in his ongoing case against Yelp Inc., after a state appeals court ruled that the California-based company can be sued in Texas for allegedly misleading users about pro-life pregnancy centers.
Paxton first filed suit in 2023, alleging that Yelp added false and politically motivated warnings to crisis pregnancy center listings to steer women away from pro-life services. The suit claimed Yelp falsely stated that such centers “typically provide limited medical services and may not have licensed medical professionals onsite.”
A lower court had dismissed the case, saying Texas lacked jurisdiction over the tech company headquartered in San Francisco, the attorney general’s office said in an Oct. 27 statement. But on Oct. 16, the Fifteenth Court of Appeals reversed the lower court ruling, holding that companies doing business in Texas — including online platforms — are subject to Texas law.
“Yelp tried to play politics and steer users away from pro-life resources, but being based in the criminal-loving state of California will not shield them from accountability,” Paxton said in the statement. “I will continue to defend pro-life organizations that serve Texans and make sure that women and families are receiving accurate information about our state’s resources.”
The dispute traces back to Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman’s reaction to the Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs ruling, which overturned Roe v. Wade. In a statement at the time, Stoppelman said he needed to “take action” against the decision and pledged Yelp’s support for groups “fighting the legal battle against abortion bans,” according to a 2023 release from Paxton’s office.
Paxton’s office argued that while Stoppelman is entitled to his personal opinions, he cannot “use the Yelp platform to deceptively disparage” centers that help women choose life.
Paxton said his office will continue pursuing the case to ensure that “Texans receive accurate information when seeking help and pro-life services.”
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