PFLAG v. Abbott
What's at Stake
The American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Legal, the ACLU of Texas, and Baker Botts filed a lawsuit in Texas State Court on behalf of PFLAG National and three Texas families. This is the second of two lawsuits challenging unlawful attempts to ban essential health care for transgender youth by Texas state leaders.
Summary
The lawsuit names Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who issued a February directive stating that health care that is medically necessary for treating gender dysphoria should be considered a form of child abuse. The suit also names Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) Commissioner Jaime Masters and DFPS as defendants, who followed Abbott’s directive and issued a new rule to investigate medically necessary health care for transgender youth across Texas.
PFLAG joined this case to seek relief for its 17 chapters and 600 members across the state. PFLAG provides confidential peer support, education, and advocacy to LGBTQIA+ people, their parents and families, and allies. With a nationwide network of hundreds of chapters, PFLAG National works with families, schools, and communities to build safety and support for transgender youth.
Also party to the suit are three Texas families with transgender teens: Mirabel Voe and her 16-year-old transgender son, Wanda Roe and her 16-year-old transgender son, and Amber and Adam Briggle and their 14-year-old transgender son. Each of these families has been unlawfully investigated by DFPS based solely on the allegation that their children were receiving care for the treatment of gender dysphoria.
Doctors and medical organizations have been providing gender-affirming care to transgender youth for decades. However, it has increasingly become a target of attacks from state lawmakers. Federal courts have blocked the enforcement of legislative bans on gender-affirming care for transgender youth in Arkansas and Alabama and no court in the country has ever classified gender-affirming care as child abuse.
Texas is the only state threatening to take children from loving parents who are providing this lifesaving care and placing them in the foster care system. The state’s foster care system is already overburdened and in crisis, and placing more kids into the system due to false accusations of child abuse will hurt everyone.
The lawsuit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union Jon L. Stryker and Slobodan Randjelović LGBTQ & HIV Project, the ACLU Women’s Rights Project, the ACLU of Texas, Lambda Legal, and the law firm of Baker Botts LLP. It was filed after the Supreme Court of Texas in Doe v. Abbott ruled in May 2022 that the directive could not be enforced against the plaintiffs in that case.
Update: On July 8, 2022, the Travis County District Court granted a temporary injunction blocking DFPS and the Commissioner from continuing to investigate the Voe and Roe families. And on September 16, 2022, the same court granted a temporary injunction on behalf of PFLAG and the Briggles blocking DFPS and the Commissioner from “investigating members of PFLAG, including but not limited to Plaintiff Families, for possible child abuse or neglect solely based on allegations that they have a minor child who is gender transitioning or alleged to be receiving or being prescribed medical treatment for gender dysphoria.” These injunctions are currently in effect, though the state is appealing them.
Legal Documents
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07/12/2024
Petition for Review
Date Filed: 07/12/2024
Court: Texas State Supreme Court
Affiliate: Texas
Download Document-
03/29/2024
Judgment -
03/29/2024
Opinion -
04/07/2023
Amicus Briefs in Support of Appellees -
- Amicus Brief of American Oversight
- Amicus Brief of American Oversight - Appendix
- Amicus Brief of Texas American Federation of Teachers et al.
- Amicus Brief of Employees of Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
- Amicus Brief of National Center for Youth Law and Disability Rights Texas
- Amicus Brief of Chief Prosecutors et al.
- Amicus Brief of Child Welfare Organizations
- Amicus Brief of Trans Education Network of Texas et al.
- Amicus Brief of American Academy of Pediatrics et al.
PFLAG v. AbbottLegal DocumentsAmicus Brief of American OversightDate Filed: 04/18/2023
Court: Texas State Court of Appeals
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentPFLAG v. AbbottLegal DocumentsAmicus Brief of American Oversight - AppendixDate Filed: 04/18/2023
Court: Texas State Court of Appeals
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentPFLAG v. AbbottLegal DocumentsAmicus Brief of Texas American Federation of Teachers et al.Date Filed: 04/18/2023
Court: Texas State Court of Appeals
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentPFLAG v. AbbottLegal DocumentsAmicus Brief of Employees of Texas Department of Family and Protective ServicesDate Filed: 04/18/2023
Court: Texas State Court of Appeals
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentPFLAG v. AbbottLegal DocumentsAmicus Brief of National Center for Youth Law and Disability Rights TexasDate Filed: 04/07/2023
Court: Texas State Court of Appeals
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentPFLAG v. AbbottLegal DocumentsAmicus Brief of Chief Prosecutors et al.Date Filed: 04/10/2023
Court: Texas State Court of Appeals
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentPFLAG v. AbbottLegal DocumentsAmicus Brief of Child Welfare OrganizationsDate Filed: 04/10/2023
Court: Texas State Court of Appeals
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentPFLAG v. AbbottLegal DocumentsAmicus Brief of Trans Education Network of Texas et al.Date Filed: 04/10/2023
Court: Texas State Court of Appeals
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentPFLAG v. AbbottLegal DocumentsAmicus Brief of American Academy of Pediatrics et al.Date Filed: 01/24/2024
Court: Texas State Court of Appeals
Affiliate: Texas
Download Document -
03/10/2023
Appellants' Reply Brief -
01/19/2023
Appellees' Brief -
11/15/2022
Appellants' Brief -
09/20/2022
Order Reinstating District Court's Temporary Injunction -
07/20/2022
Order Temporarily Reinstating District Court's Temporary Injunction -
07/19/2022
Appellees' Emergency Motion for Temporary Injunctive Relief Pursuant to Rule 29.3 -
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10/06/2022
Appellants' Response to Appellees' Emergency Motion for Temporary Injunctive Relief
PFLAG v. AbbottLegal DocumentsAppellants' Response to Appellees' Emergency Motion for Temporary Injunctive ReliefDate Filed: 10/06/2022
Court: Texas State Court of Appeals
Affiliate: Texas
Download Document -
10/06/2022
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07/08/2022
Defendants' Notice of Appeal
Date Filed: 03/29/2024
Court: Texas State Court of Appeals
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentDate Filed: 03/29/2024
Court: Texas State Court of Appeals
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentDate Filed: 03/10/2023
Court: Texas State Court of Appeals
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentDate Filed: 01/19/2023
Court: Texas State Court of Appeals
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentDate Filed: 11/15/2022
Court: Texas State Court of Appeals
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentDate Filed: 09/20/2022
Court: Texas State Court of Appeals
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentDate Filed: 07/20/2022
Court: Texas State Court of Appeals
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentDate Filed: 07/19/2022
Court: Texas State Court of Appeals
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentDate Filed: 07/08/2022
Court: Texas State Court of Appeals
Affiliate: Texas
Download Document-
11/04/2022
Defendants' Plea to the Jurisdiction -
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11/16/2022
Plaintiffs' Response to Defendants' Plea to the Jurisdiction
PFLAG v. AbbottLegal DocumentsPlaintiffs' Response to Defendants' Plea to the JurisdictionDate Filed: 11/16/2022
Court: Texas State District Court
Affiliate: Texas
Download Document -
11/16/2022
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09/16/2022
Order Granting PFLAG Inc.'s and Plaintiffs Briggles' Application for Temporary Injunction -
07/08/2022
Order Granting Plaintiffs Voes' and Roes' Application for Temporary Injunction -
07/08/2022
Letter from Judge Amy Meachum -
06/10/2022
Temporary Restraining Order -
06/08/2022
Petition -
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06/08/2022
Declaration of Samantha Poe -
06/08/2022
Declaration of Lisa Stanton -
06/08/2022
Declaration of Dr. Cassandra Brady -
06/08/2022
Declaration of Brian Bond -
06/08/2022
Declaration of Mirabel Voe -
06/08/2022
Declaration of Wanda Roe -
06/08/2022
Declaration of Tommy Roe -
06/08/2022
Declaration of Adam Briggle
PFLAG v. AbbottLegal DocumentsDeclaration of Samantha PoeDate Filed: 06/08/2022
Court: Texas State District Court
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentPFLAG v. AbbottLegal DocumentsDeclaration of Lisa StantonDate Filed: 06/08/2022
Court: Texas State District Court
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentPFLAG v. AbbottLegal DocumentsDeclaration of Dr. Cassandra BradyDate Filed: 06/08/2022
Court: Texas State District Court
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentPFLAG v. AbbottLegal DocumentsDeclaration of Brian BondDate Filed: 06/08/2022
Court: Texas State District Court
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentPFLAG v. AbbottLegal DocumentsDeclaration of Mirabel VoeDate Filed: 06/08/2022
Court: Texas State District Court
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentPFLAG v. AbbottLegal DocumentsDeclaration of Wanda RoeDate Filed: 06/08/2022
Court: Texas State District Court
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentPFLAG v. AbbottLegal DocumentsDeclaration of Tommy RoeDate Filed: 06/08/2022
Court: Texas State District Court
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentPFLAG v. AbbottLegal DocumentsDeclaration of Adam BriggleDate Filed: 06/08/2022
Court: Texas State District Court
Affiliate: Texas
Download Document -
06/08/2022
Date Filed: 11/04/2022
Court: Texas State District Court
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentDate Filed: 09/16/2022
Court: Texas State District Court
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentDate Filed: 07/08/2022
Court: Texas State District Court
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentDate Filed: 07/08/2022
Court: Texas State District Court
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentDate Filed: 06/10/2022
Court: Texas State District Court
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentDate Filed: 06/08/2022
Court: Texas State District Court
Affiliate: Texas
Download DocumentPress Releases
Texas Court Expands Injunction Blocking State From Targeting Families of Trans Youth Who Are Members of PFLAG National