Deep-blue Colorado has agreed to a $6.1 million legal settlement after a federal judge ruled against the state’s attempt to ban pro-life pregnancy centers from offering abortion pill reversal treatments. The payout, announced this week, will cover the legal fees of Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), who represented Bella Health and Wellness and nurse practitioner Chelsea Mynyk in their successful lawsuit.
The settlement follows a 2025 ruling by U.S. District Judge Daniel Domenico, a Trump appointee, who found that Colorado’s law targeted faith-based clinics and violated religious freedom protections. The case was filed in response to SB23-190, a 2023 law that declared offering progesterone to reverse the effects of the first abortion pill “unprofessional conduct” for healthcare providers.
Bella Health and Wellness, a Catholic-run clinic, argued that its religious beliefs compelled it to offer abortion pill reversal to women seeking to continue their pregnancies. Judge Domenico agreed, stating that Colorado failed to apply its restrictions neutrally and had burdened the clinic’s sincerely held religious convictions.
While the state argued the treatment was unproven and unsafe, Domenico ruled that no evidence of harm had been presented and noted Colorado allows off-label use of progesterone in numerous other medical contexts, including in vitro fertilization and gender transitions. He wrote that the state’s enforcement “singled out” the clinic’s pro-life use of the hormone.
The settlement allocates $5.4 million to Becket and $700,000 to ADF for court costs and legal representation. Colorado’s Attorney General’s office confirmed the settlement but declined further comment.
Becket attorney Rebekah Ricketts celebrated the decision, saying, “At least 18 moms who received abortion pill reversal care at Bella just celebrated Christmas with babies born during this case.”
Judge Domenico’s order applies only to the named plaintiffs, narrowly blocking enforcement of the law against them while leaving the broader statute intact. He cited the Supreme Court’s ruling in Trump v. CASA, which limits the scope of federal injunctions.
The case, Bella Health and Wellness v. Weiser, represents a major legal victory for religious liberty advocates and a significant rebuke of Colorado’s aggressive pro-abortion legislative agenda. It also highlights growing national tension over abortion pill access, conscience rights, and the reach of state regulation.
