An abortion doctor who lost his license last year has avoided a court hearing Wednesday by finally turning over records subpoenaed by the state Attorney General to determine whether he has relinquished control of his clinics.
TRENTON -- An abortion doctor who lost his license last year will avoid a court hearing Wednesday because he finally turned over records the state Attorney General subpoenaed in June showing whether he had relinquished control of seven clinics.
State Division of Consumer Affairs spokesman Jeff Lamm confirmed Tuesday that Steven C. Brigham submitted annual reports and contracts associated with the abortion clinics he was expected to forfeit when the board of Medical Examiners revoked his license a year ago for gross negligence, deception and official misconduct.
Brigham also turned in records pertaining to his four corporations: American Healthcare Services, Advanced Professional Services, Alpha Real Estate and American Wellness Services, Lamm said.
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Lamm said the records were not public because they are tied to a "pending matter" before the attorney general. He declined to comment on what the records said.
Deputy Attorney General Bindi Merchant sent a letter to Superior Court Judge Walter Koprowski, Jr. asking the hearing be cancelled, Lamm said.
When Brigham and his attorney, Joseph Gorrell failed to provide the records, Merchant asked the judge to order Brigham to appear in court.
Gorrell did not return calls and emails seeking comment.
Brigham has not been allowed to practice since 2010, when the state Board of Medical Examiners found he had skirted state law by starting late-term abortions with five women. He administered a drug that killed the fetus in his South Jersey office, and ordering them to drive to his Maryland clinic, where the surgical procedure was completed.
Last year, Brigham lost an appeal and the board revoked his license.
Without his license, Brigham was required by state law to divest himself from the clinics he owned in Elizabeth, Mount Laurel, Paramus, Phillipsburg, Toms River, Woodbridge and Voorhees. He turned over the business to the company's medical director, Vikram Kaji.
But when an investigator from the Division of Consumer Affairs performed an unannounced inspection at a clinic in Hamilton April 22, Kaji denied he was the owner. During a closed-door hearing of a committee of the board on May 5, Vikram Kaji "repeatedly testified under oath that he was not the owner," according to state records.
Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
