LGBTQ advocates Vs Texas Gov Greg Abbott: Court blocks child abuse probe into transgender kids' families

The families of transgender children now have special protections against the ongoing state child abuse investigations according to a judge's Friday expansion of her order in a case that is still pending in Texas.

The ruling, which Judge Amy Clark Meachum undertakes, is the most recent development in a lawsuit filed by LGBTQ activists against Texas Governor Greg Abbott and the state's child welfare organization to stop ongoing and future child abuse investigations involving children. These children are those who have already received gender-affirming medical treatment.

The judge's previous temporary restraining orders, which barred child abuse investigations for a predetermined period, were "lengthened and strengthened" by Friday's ruling.

What is said in the most recent judge's order?

The most recent injunction from Meachum also protects two other families involved in the litigation, including Amber Briggle and Adam Briggle, whose transgender son is 14 years old.

Meachum claimed that when Texas' child welfare agency's commissioner Jaime Masters opened inquiries into cases of child abuse in response to the governor's order to look into families caring for their children in a gender-affirming manner in February, she had violated the law and exceeded her authority.

The order further noted that the trial is scheduled for June 2023.

Meachum stated in his opinion that all Plaintiffs say a viable cause of action over DFPS and Commissioner Masters and are likely entitled to the permanent and declaratory injunctive relief they seek.


Families encountered inquiries.

According to Meachum, the families might suffer potential, impending, and irreversible injury in the meantime without the injunction.

A different family, a claimant in an additional complaint, claims that Department of Family and Protective Services representatives visited their son's school in late August and interviewed him for about an hour.

Another child based in Texas whose parents are being looked at has not gotten any medical care that affirms their gender. However, he is caught up in experiencing what a social transition feels like.

The Texas Supreme Court ruled in favour of one family who was among the first approached by child welfare officials after Abbott's direction in February while also allowing the state to investigate parents of transgender children for child abuse. The plaintiff in Doe v. Abbott, different litigation, is that family.

Lambda Legal and the ACLU filed the most current case because of the families of three teenage boys, two of whom are 16 years old and one 14 years old, and all Texas PFLAG members.

Related FAQs

Q. What happened to the judge's previous restraining orders that were temporary?
A. The judge's previous restraining orders that temporarily barred child abuse investigations for a predetermined period were "lengthened and strengthened" by Friday's ruling.

Q. In whose favour did the Texas Supreme Court rule?
The Texas Supreme Court ruled in favour of one family who was among the first approached by child welfare officials after Abbott's direction in February while also allowing the state to investigate parents of transgender children for child abuse.