Medical Records of Over 3,000 Transgender Youth Protected from Overreaching Federal Subpoena After Legal Challenge

Medical Records of Over 3,000 Transgender Youth Protected from Overreaching Federal Subpoena After Legal Challenge

DOJ Settlement Marks Unprecedented Win for Health Privacy and Constitutional Rights

January 23, 2026, Washington, D.C.— The Department of Justice has withdrawn its subpoena demanding the medical records of over 3,000 transgender youth at Children's Hospital Los Angeles and entered into a settlement agreement with a group of patients and their families, represented by Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG), Western Center on Law and Poverty, and Impact Fund.

The subpoena, served this summer to Children's Hospital Los Angeles, sought sweeping access to minors' most sensitive medical records—including mental health treatment notes,  prescribing information, and other deeply personal details—related to gender-affirming care. L4GG and co-counsel filed a motion to quash the subpoena on behalf of a putative class of affected patients and families in federal court in the Central District of California, arguing it violated patients' constitutional right to privacy and exceeded the government's legal authority.

“This is a massive victory for every family that refused to be intimidated into backing down. The government’s attempt to rifle through children’s medical records was unconstitutional from the start. Today’s settlement affirms what we’ve said all along: these families have done nothing wrong, and their children’s privacy deserves protection.”

— Khadijah Silver, Director of Gender Justice & Health Equity at Lawyers for Good Government

“This settlement is a crucial affirmation that health care decisions belong in exam rooms, not government subpoenas. Youth, families, and medical providers have constitutional rights to privacy and dignity. No one’s private health records should be turned into political ammunition—especially children. This ruling protects sensitive medical records, upholds the professional integrity of providers, and reinforces that families seeking lawful care are not suspects—they’re entitled to safety and confidentiality.”

— Cori Racela, Executive Director for Western Center on Law & Poverty

The settlement agreement protects the anonymity of the affected youth and families while securing the withdrawal of the government's demands for their medical records — and those of their fellow patients.

“We are so proud to represent our clients who stepped up to protect their families and thousands of others by being plaintiffs in this lawsuit. Their bravery helps protect all of us from unlawful and discriminatory government intrusion into private health care decisions between patients, families, and doctors.”

— Lori Rifkin, Litigation Director at Impact Fund

Gender-affirming care remains legal in many states and is endorsed by every major medical association, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Endocrine Society. The investigation's underlying premise—that lawful medical treatment becomes fraudulent based solely on the identity of the patient receiving it—has been widely rejected by legal experts and medical professionals.

“Parents who follow medical advice and seek evidence-based treatment for their children should never be subjected to government harassment. This settlement sends a clear message: constitutional rights matter, and families seeking legal medical care for their children are entitled to privacy and dignity.”

— Amy Powell, Litigation Director at Lawyers for Good Government

L4GG Files Amicus Brief Supporting Youth Climate Plaintiffs in Ninth Circuit Appeal

WASHINGTON — Yesterday, Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG) filed an amicus brief in support of youth plaintiffs represented by Our Children’s Trust in Lighthister, et al. v. Trump, et al., a case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit appealing the dismissal of claims challenging federal executive actions designed to expand fossil fuel use.

The brief urges the Ninth Circuit to reverse the district court’s ruling, which held that despite “overwhelming” evidence that the Plaintiffs are suffering tangible injury caused by the implementation of the challenged laws, the harm was not redressable by the courts. L4GG argues that this conclusion misapplies binding precedent and, if allowed to stand, would severely weaken the judiciary’s role in protecting fundamental rights.

The brief, which you can read in full here, argues that federal courts have both the authority and the obligation to declare unconstitutional executive actions invalid—particularly where those actions are the legal cause of ongoing harm to young people’s health, safety, and lives.

Specifically, the brief explains:

• Declaratory relief is meaningful redress. Longstanding Supreme Court precedent—including Brown v. Board of Education—establishes that invalidating an unconstitutional legal mandate itself constitutes redress, even where full compliance may take time or face resistance.

• The district court misread Juliana v. United States. Unlike Juliana, where plaintiffs sought a court-designed national climate plan, the youth plaintiffs here seek a narrow, traditional remedy: a declaration that specific executive orders are unconstitutional and ultra vires.

• Courts are not powerless simply because a remedy is incomplete. Article III does not require courts to solve a policy problem in full—only to eliminate the legal cause of a constitutional injury. Declaring the challenged executive orders invalid would withdraw their legal force and reduce the harms they are causing.

• Denying redressability here would undermine the rule of law. If courts may not invalidate unconstitutional executive mandates simply because they do not control every downstream effect, entire categories of constitutional claims would become nonjusticeable.

“Federal courts do not lose their constitutional role simply because a case involves climate change or executive policy,” said Charles Dell’Ario, counsel for amicus, and pro bono volunteer for Lawyers for Good Government. “When an executive order is the legal cause of constitutional injury, courts have both the power and the duty to say what the law is and to withdraw that mandate from the legal system.”

"When courts find that the administration has caused a constitutional injury—as the court did here—the government cannot evade liability by arguing that there is nothing a court can do about it,” added Amy Powell, Litigation Director, Pro Bono Litigation Corps, Lawyers for Good Government. “Rather, a declaratory judgment invalidating the challenged executive actions is real relief with real meaning. The rule of law requires no less."

If you’d be interested in discussing the case and this brief further, we’d be happy to connect you to one of our spokespeople at L4GG’s Pro Bono Litigation Corps, for any comment.

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Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG) is a nonprofit organization that harnesses the power of 125,000 lawyers, law students, and advocates in the fight for justice. We identify where lawyers can make the greatest impact and mobilize them to defend democracy and the rule of law, protect civil and human rights, and advance environmental justice through coordinated legal action and advocacy efforts that create meaningful change for all Americans.

L4GG Responds to D.C. Circuit Granting En Banc Review in Green Bank Litigation

WASHINGTON — Jillian Blanchard, Vice President of Climate Change & Environmental Justice at Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG), issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit granting en banc review in litigation challenging the termination of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF), a $20 billion Congressionally authorized clean energy and climate resilience program:

““The D.C. Circuit’s decision to grant en banc review is a major inflection point in the fight for affordable energy, climate resilience, and the rule of law. For months, the administration has tried to dismiss these funds as waste while families across the country are paying record electricity bills and struggling to keep the lights on. ”

“The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund was designed to deliver cheaper, homegrown energy, backup power, and real resilience where it’s needed most — lowering costs for everyday people and strengthening communities before disaster strikes. This funding was built to keep energy bills down for Americans who are already stretched thin and to build critical markets to support these projects.

“Full-court review is relatively rare, and the fact that the court expressly cited L4GG’s amicus brief on behalf of 40 Members of Congress underscores how serious the constitutional and statutory issues are here. Nearly $20 billion lawfully appropriated by Congress is at stake, and this case will determine whether an administration can simply override Congress’s spending decisions by fiat, eroding a basic principle of our democracy.”

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Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG) coordinates large-scale pro bono programs and issue advocacy efforts to protect human rights, defend the environment, and ensure equal justice under the law, and has a network of 125,000+ lawyers to assist in its efforts. lawyersforgoodgovernment.org.

Nonprofits, Tribes, and Local Governments Appeal Ruling Allowing EPA to Terminate Environmental Justice Grants

Plaintiffs ask D.C. Circuit to restore congressionally mandated funds; without relief, 350+ pollution-reduction and climate-resilience projects remain frozen

WASHINGTON — A coalition of nonprofits, Tribes, and local governments today filed an appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, challenging the lower court ruling that suggests the District Court does not have jurisdiction to hear claims related to EPA’s termination of the Congressionally-mandated Environment and Climate Justice (ECJ) Block Grant program, which Congress mandated to fund local projects addressing pollution, flooding, and climate resilience.

The plaintiffs—represented by Earthjustice, the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), the Public Rights Project, and Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG)—seek to restore $3 billion in Congressionally authorized funding that has been unlawfully terminated for more than 350+ grantees.

VIEW THE FILING HERE 

Across the country, hundreds of local projects remain stalled, including critical infrastructure work in the Native Village of Kipnuk, Alaska, where recent catastrophic flooding washed away homes and infrastructure that were set to be protected under an EPA-funded riverbank stabilization project. Kipnuk is now facing another winter without housing or protection, and has had to start a Go Fund Me page to pay for emergency services. And, they are far from alone. With hurricane season underway, communities in every region—in particular, the Southeast—remain more vulnerable to storms, flooding, and pollution because this funding was taken away.

““We’re already seeing the human toll of EPA’s unlawful decision in these flood-ravaged Alaskan villages, which could have had $20M available for emergency riverbank stabilization work if the EPA hadn’t terminated the Kipnuk grant in May of this year. This is the result of an Administration prioritizing tax breaks for billionaires at the cost of human lives and critical infrastructure,” said Jillian Blanchard, Vice President of Climate Change & Environmental Justice at Lawyers for Good Government.”

“ “Inevitably, we will see more tragedies in coastal towns as hurricane season approaches that could have been mitigated.  Resilience hubs in Louisiana will not be built, and as more natural disasters strike due to the heartless rescission of these grants, we’re likely to see more and more avoidable tragedies. The Administration’s choice to strip away these lifelines endangers lives, undermines the law, and abandons the very communities Congress promised to protect. If you consider these terminations with the significant reduction in disaster-relief FEMA funding, we’re staring down the barrel of a climate catastrophe waiting to happen. We’re appealing because the stakes couldn’t be higher.””

If successful, the appeal would reinstate the ECJ grants, allowing more than 350 communities and Tribal governments to resume critical projects—ranging from flood prevention to community resilience  hubs—before more preventable destruction occurs.

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Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG) is a nonprofit organization that harnesses the power of 125,000 lawyers, law students, and advocates in the fight for justice. We identify where lawyers can make the greatest impact and mobilize them to defend democracy and the rule of law, protect civil and human rights, and advance environmental justice through coordinated legal action and advocacy efforts that create meaningful change for all Americans.

Lawyers for Good Government and Partners Sue EPA to Restore ‘Solar for All’ for Low-Income Families and Tribal Communities

RHODE ISLAND — Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG), together with the Conservation Law Foundation, Southern Environmental Law Center, and Lawyers’ Committee for Rhode Island, today filed a federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of Rhode Island, on behalf of a coalition of businesses and nonprofits, challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s unlawful termination of Solar for All.

The complaint, filed on behalf of the plaintiffs, Rhode Island AFL-CIO, Rhode Island Center for Justice, the Hopi Tribal Council, Solar United Neighbors, Sunpath Consulting, 2KB Energy Services, Energy Independent Solutions, and Black Sun Light Sustainability, asks the court to declare EPA’s termination unlawful, vacate the action, enjoin any de-obligation or interference with funds, and direct EPA to reinstate Solar for All so projects can proceed as intended.

A $7 billion program authorized by Congress, Solar for All represents a generational opportunity to cut skyrocketing power bills, create good-paying jobs, and equip communities to address the causes and consequences of a changing climate. All that funding is intended to get affordable solar power to more people through new leasing and power purchase programs, multifamily installations, workforce development and more.

What’s at stake:

• Household savings & access: According to the EPA’s own estimates, the program was projected to help nearly 900,000 households access solar energy, with participating households collectively saving more than $350 million each year on utility costs and typical low-income households saving ~$400 per year.

• Jobs & training: Hundreds of thousands of high-quality jobs and apprenticeship pipelines with labor partners now at risk.

• Public health & climate: EPA estimated more than 30 million metric tons of carbon dioxide avoided, which is equal to taking 7 million cars off the road.

• Tribal communities: More than 7% of funds slated for Tribal nations. On the Hopi reservation, where nearly 35% of homes lack electricity, distributed solar is the only feasible option for reliable power.

““EPA’s termination of the $7 billion Solar for All program is a betrayal against a million American families and communities who need access to clean, affordable energy,” said Jillian Blanchard, Vice President, Climate Change & Environmental Justice at L4GG. “By terminating the Solar for All program while simultaneously ending clean air protections, this administration is sending a clear message: they will make Americans pay with their savings and their health in order to benefit the fossil fuel industry. We will not allow this administration to trample the legal rights of Americans, and we will keep fighting for a clean, affordable future for the people and the planet.””

““The executive branch cannot rewrite laws it dislikes or claw back billions already obligated by Congress. If allowed to stand, this would set a dangerous precedent where no federal program is safe from political targeting,” said Gary DiBianco, counsel at L4GG’s Pro Bono Litigation Corps.”

If you’re interested in speaking with Jillian Blanchard, Gary DiBianco, and impacted plaintiffs, let us know and we can look to arrange.

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Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG) is a nonprofit organization that harnesses the power of 125,000 lawyers, law students, and advocates in the fight for justice. We identify where lawyers can make the greatest impact and mobilize them to defend democracy and the rule of law, protect civil and human rights, and advance environmental justice through coordinated legal action and advocacy efforts that create meaningful change for all Americans.

L4GG Launches Elective Pay Sprint Hub to Help Communities Navigate Complex Clean Energy Requirements and Pay for Projects after HR 1

WASHINGTON — Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG) today announced the launch of its Elective Pay Sprint Hub, a rapid-response initiative designed to help schools, Tribes, nonprofits, faith organizations, and local governments navigate the complex landscape of clean energy tax credits in the wake of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA, or H.R. 1). 

With the Trump administration’s escalating efforts to rescind and terminate grant programs, including billions in clean energy and environmental justice funding authorized under the Inflation Reduction Act, community-based projects across the country face steep new compliance hurdles around tax credit requirements and shrinking timelines. These unlawful attempts to claw back funding threaten to derail investments in rooftop solar, battery storage, school and hospital upgrades, and other community-based clean energy solutions that reduce energy costs and improve climate resilience. Tax credit dollars are available, but they’ve become harder to understand and realize.

The Elective Pay Sprint Hub will serve as a concierge service for tax exempt entities to work with L4GG and its partners to design, fund, and implement their clean energy projects in a way that maximizes tax credits, providing:

• Legal and technical support to interpret shifting Treasury and IRS guidance on “placed-in-service” and “beginning-of-construction” requirements.

• Policy expertise to maximize available clean energy tax credits before they phase out.

• Specialized assistance for projects in disadvantaged communities, or those at risk of being stalled or cancelled due to unlawful rescissions.

• Green Financing opportunities connecting L4GG's clients with investors and providing the legal support necessary to build investor confidence in these projects.

“Communities should not lose out on clean energy progress because of political gamesmanship in Washington that convolutes tax credit requirements and shrinks timelines for the credits that remain available. Congress approved this money to lower energy bills, strengthen resilience against disasters, and expand access to clean energy,” said Jillian Blanchard, Vice President of Climate Change & Environmental Justice at L4GG.

“The Elective Pay Sprint Hub exists to ensure communities can still capture those benefits before the window slams shut. It also connects entities with real financial solutions to bridge funding gaps,” said Edward Yim, L4GG’s Director of Clean Energy. “L4GG is committed to helping cities, schools, religious institutions, and communities fight for every dollar they need to implement critical clean energy and resilience projects.” 

L4GG is partnering with an extensive network of partners to carry out this mission, including the Milken Institute and its $1B Capital Mobilization Campaign, World Resources Institute, Urban Sustainability Directors Network, NYU Tax Law Center, Natural Resources Defense Council, the US Climate Alliance, Justice Climate Fund, Community Progressive Caucus Center, S2 Strategies, and the GB 50, among many other partners who are ready to work with L4GG to push clean energy projects forward.  

L4GG is inviting nonprofits, Tribes, faith-based groups, schools, and local governments with pending or at-risk projects to complete a simple intake form and join the Sprint Hub. The initiative will connect projects with pro bono legal support, policy expertise, and technical partners to unlock credits while they remain available. 

To sign up for assistance, please fill out the form HERE.