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.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton originally filed the lawsuit in 2023, seeking injunctive relief, civil penalties, and damages for Yelp’s alleged violations of the Deceptive Trade Practices Act, after accusations surfaced that the company had posted “misleading and disparaging disclaimer” labels on crisis pregnancy centers in Texas.
This occurred in the aftermath of the leak of the U.S. Supreme Court’s eventual decision in Dobbs v. Jackson, reversing Roe v. Wade, which sent the legal issue of abortion back to the states. The suit cited a statement from Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman in 2022 in which he “urged business leaders to use their ‘platform and influence’ to help protect reproductive rights.”
It referenced a consumer notice issued by Yelp on all pregnancy resource center pages that stated, “This is a Crisis Pregnancy Center. Crisis Pregnancy Centers typically provide limited medical services and may not have licensed medical professionals onsite.”
After a letter was sent from Paxton and 23 other state attorneys general demanding revision of the notice, Yelp revised the notice to read: “This is a Crisis Pregnancy Center. Crisis Pregnancy Centers do not offer abortions or referrals to abortion providers.” Paxton’s suit was filed seven months later.
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 stated in a press release on Monday. “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.”
Attorney General Ken Paxton Secures Major Victory Against Yelp for Pushing Pro-Abortion Agenda Misleading Texans About Pro-Life Resources: https://t.co/IKrgCJ3SWw
— Texas Attorney General (@TXAG) October 27, 2025
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.
A Yelp spokesperson responded to the decision in a statement to The Texan on Monday: “We are disappointed with the appellate court’s decision, which prolongs this meritless lawsuit on flimsy procedural grounds.”
Paxton said his office will continue pursuing the case to ensure that “Texans receive accurate information when seeking help and pro-life services.”
