Federal judge tosses DOJ suit over California's transgender sports rules
U.S. District Judge Cynthia Valenzuela dismissed the Justice Department's lawsuit challenging California's policies that let transgender students compete on teams matching their gender identity.
In a decision written by Judge Cynthia Valenzuela, a federal court threw out the Justice Department's challenge to California's trans-inclusive school sports policies. The administration had argued that Title IX obligates schools to limit team eligibility to biological females, but the judge found the law silent on that point and noted that the Supreme Court's recent ruling only affirmed states' ability to keep separate sex-based teams, without mandating exclusion of transgender athletes.
She concluded that California received no clear notice that such exclusion was a condition of federal funding. The DOJ indicated it will explore an appeal, while LGBTQ advocates and parents of transgender competitors, such as Trevor Norcross, praised the outcome. The case had threatened to withhold $44.3 billion in federal aid from the California Department of Education. Both the state Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation declined to comment beyond reiterating their legal arguments.
Why it matters
The ruling keeps federal funding intact and preserves current rights for transgender student athletes in California.
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