Children's Rights

Florida law with ‘Goldilocks’ approach to banning minors at drag shows is overbroad, 11th Circuit says

A Florida law that bans admission of minors to live performances depicting “lewd conduct” is likely unconstitutional because it provides only “vague guidance” on prohibited conduct, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Atlanta ruled Tuesday.

May 16, 2025 9:18 AM CDT

$2.6M settlement approved in suit claiming meditation program violated public school students’ religious rights

A federal judge in Chicago has approved a $2.6 million settlement in a class action lawsuit alleging that the Chicago Public Schools violated the establishment clause when it required students to participate in transcendental meditation or observe a half hour of silence.

May 8, 2025 12:53 PM CDT

Supreme Court majority appears to side with parents who object to instruction using LGBTQ storybooks

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday appeared ready to rule for parents who argue that they have a right to exclude their children from school lessons involving storybooks with LGBTQ characters and themes, according to publications that covered the oral arguments.

Apr 22, 2025 3:19 PM CDT

TRO requires US to continue funding immigration court lawyers for children entering country without parent

A federal judge in San Francisco issued a temporary restraining order Tuesday that blocks a cutoff in federal funding for representation in immigration court for minors who enter the United States without a parent or legal guardians.

Apr 2, 2025 12:42 PM CDT

ABA responds to federal cuts to legal services for unaccompanied children

The ABA is calling on lawyers to urge the Trump administration to reinstate full funding for legal services for tens of thousands of children who entered the United States alone.

Mar 27, 2025 11:25 AM CDT

SCOTUS once again grapples with First Amendment religion clauses in Wisconsin employment tax case

While cases stemming from the second Trump administration’s torrent of executive actions begin to work their way up to the U.S. Supreme Court on the emergency docket, the court still has some important cases to hear in the final two months of argument for the term.

Mar 27, 2025 9:53 AM CDT

Climate change case that ‘ignited a movement’ ends with Supreme Court’s cert denial

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday refused to revive a climate change lawsuit filed on behalf of 21 youths who contended that the government is a trustee of the environment and has a duty to preserve it.

Mar 25, 2025 2:01 PM CDT

Supreme Court will review Colorado ban on conversion therapy for LGBTQ minors

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to decide whether a Colorado ban on conversion therapy for LGBTQ minors—which aims to change sexual orientation or gender identity through counseling—violates the First Amendment.

Mar 10, 2025 1:38 PM CDT

Federal judge blocks Trump order on health care for transgender youth

A federal judge on Thursday blocked executive orders signed by President Donald Trump that target transgender people and their health care, giving temporary relief to LGBTQ+ individuals and their families, who braced for legal battles to continue.

Feb 14, 2025 9:00 AM CST

Florida considers exception to lawyer confidentiality rule to protect minor clients

The Florida Bar's board of governors could propose an ethics rule change as early as March that would allow lawyers to disclose confidential information to protect minor clients from harm.

Feb 5, 2025 3:59 PM CST

SCOTUS will decide whether schools can require LGBTQ-themed books at story time with no opt-outs

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday agreed to decide whether schools can require teachers to read storybooks to elementary-age children with LGBTQ characters and themes over parents’ objections.

Jan 21, 2025 10:27 AM CST

Hold the Phone: K-12 school electronic device policies must be carefully considered, lawyers say

As more school districts tighten up student cellphone policies on campus, three reasons are often cited for the change. Lawyers, however, caution that the policies should not be as simple as prohibiting phones on campus.

Jan 14, 2025 11:02 AM CST

Chemerinsky: What can we expect from SCOTUS in 2025?

Predictions for the coming year are always tempting, but in hindsight often seem foolhardy. No one in December 2019 could have anticipated the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. And in December 2023, no one could have envisioned the political roller coaster of 2024. Although there is much that cannot be anticipated, the following seem realistic questions as we anticipate the new year.

Jan 2, 2025 9:01 AM CST

In ‘monumental moment,’ Montana Supreme Court rules for youths claiming right to clean environment

The Montana Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down a state law banning consideration of greenhouse gas emissions in fossil-fuel-permitting decisions, citing a state constitutional provision that guarantees a “clean and healthful environment.”

Dec 19, 2024 9:01 AM CST

Tween’s parents can’t sue video chat service for child porn and sex trafficking, 11th Circuit rules

Parents who alleged that their 11-year-old daughter was tricked and threatened into making child pornography can’t sue an online service that randomly places people into video chat rooms, a federal appeals court has ruled.

Dec 16, 2024 12:00 PM CST