Dr. Mary Talley Bowden is asking a Harris County judge to enforce a settlement agreement and sanction Houston Methodist Hospital for what she alleges was a deliberate breach of contract.
In the latest court filings, Bowden’s attorneys are making a “Motion To Enforce Settlement Agreement,” an action that would deny Houston Methodist Hospital and its CEO, Marc Boom, the additional $26,000 the duo is demanding after previously seeking hundreds of thousands from the doctor and settling.
More than just trying to deny Methodist more money, Bowden’s team has gone on the offensive and wants the other side sanctioned. Bowden is now seeking $30,000 in sanctions—$10,000 each from Houston Methodist, its CEO, Dr. Marc Boom, and the law firm Yetter Coleman. She is also requesting attorney fees and court costs and, if the court declines to enforce the settlement, the return of the $166,514.28 payment.
Bowden’s attorneys claimed the hospital improperly “withdrew” from a settlement agreement after accepting a check from the Houston ENT. The motion, which also responds to Methodist’s demand that Bowden answer post-judgment discovery, argues that a binding unilateral contract existed — and that Bowden fulfilled her part.
According to court documents, Bowden agreed to the settlement without changes and requested wire instructions multiple times before ultimately mailing a check at the end of January. Her legal team says the hospital ignored those requests, received the check before the February deadline, and cashed it.
“Methodist made a unilateral offer,” the motion states. “Plaintiff accepted the unilateral offer by performing exactly as the Agreement required. In fact, she tendered payment five days early.”
The dispute stems from a high-profile legal battle that began in 2021, when Houston Methodist suspended Bowden’s hospital privileges and publicly accused her of spreading COVID-19 “misinformation” when she publicly and repeatedly condemned COVID vaccine mandates. Bowden sued for defamation, lost in court, and was ordered to pay more than $166,000 in attorney fees. After negotiations, the two sides reached a settlement that Bowden believed resolved the matter.
However, as The Dallas Express previously reported, the hospital claimed Bowden violated the spirit of the agreement by continuing to make public comments. In a January 27 email to Bowden’s lawyer, a Methodist attorney wrote that “Houston Methodist has become aware of recent public statements made by Dr. Bowden … and is no longer interested in forgiving the interest owed on the judgment.”
Despite that warning, the hospital cashed the check days later and then filed a new motion seeking $26,000 in interest and additional legal fees. Methodist simultaneously moved to compel post-judgment discovery.
Bowden’s legal team now accuses the hospital of conducting a “bait and switch,” stating that the hospital knowingly accepted payment on what both parties had considered a final settlement, only to pursue more funds after the fact.
The hospital system’s staff have not shied away from sharing their point of view.“Dr. Bowden had her day in court, and the court ruled in Houston Methodist’s favor. As part of that ruling, Dr. Bowden was required to pay our attorney fees, which she appealed and subsequently lost. This latest filing is simply an attempt to compel Dr. Bowden to do what is right and pay the entirety of the debt,” a spokeswoman for the hospital previously told The Dallas Express.
The case highlights the latest legal friction surrounding Bowden, a vocal opponent of COVID-19 vaccine mandates and a frequent critic of medical institutions. Her disputes with Methodist and the Texas Medical Board have made her a prominent figure among critics of the state’s pandemic response.