Children's Rights

Privileged Penance: Courts don't get to decide who is clergy or what a confession covers, Arizona Supreme Court says

In a ruling closely watched by both religious freedom and child protection advocates, the Arizona Supreme Court in July found that church leaders are shielded by the state’s clergy-penitent privilege from reporting child abuse disclosed to them. The case involves Paul Adams, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer who was arrested in 2017 after he posted videos of himself abusing his children.

Aug 24, 2026 9:02 AM CDT

7th Circuit sides with Planned Parenthood over sharing abortion information with minors

The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Chicago on Tuesday rejected an Indiana “aid-or-assist” law, which prohibits physicians from helping minors obtain an abortion without first meeting the state’s parental consent requirements.

Aug 19, 2026 9:47 AM CDT

11th Circuit upholds law banning minors from attending drag shows

A federal appeals court on Tuesday ruled that Florida can enforce a law that prohibits children from attending drag shows.

Aug 5, 2026 9:38 AM CDT

Supreme Court lets Texas enforce law that restricts app purchases by kids

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to pause enforcement of a Texas law that restricts which apps children can download from online stores, in a case that involves the balance of online safety for kids and the Constitution’s free speech guarantees.

Jul 6, 2026 2:14 PM CDT

Considering the money to be made on social media, some want better laws protecting child influencers

Children working as social media influencers, dubbed “kidfluencers,” can have millions of followers tracking them, their activities and the products they endorse. Top creators like Ryan Kaji, who with the help of his parents built a media empire through his YouTube channel, can make millions of dollars before they reach adulthood. But what happens if the parents or guardians are spending or mismanaging their children’s earnings?

Jul 1, 2026 12:40 AM CDT

Supreme Court upholds bans on transgender women in female athletics

The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld bans in Idaho and West Virginia on transgender athletes playing on girls’ and women’s sports teams, the latest in a string of legal setbacks for the LGBTQ+ community before the high court.

Jun 30, 2026 9:21 AM CDT

Florida AG brings ‘first-in-the-nation state-led lawsuit’ against OpenAI and its CEO

The Florida attorney general’s office is suing OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman, alleging that the company marketed its artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT to children while concealing serious risks related to its use.

Jun 2, 2026 9:59 AM CDT

Court orders hospital to resume gender-affirming care for transgender kids

The Colorado Supreme Court ruled Monday that the Children’s Hospital Colorado must resume offering gender-affirming care to transgender kids, after the hospital received pressure from the federal government to suspend services.

May 19, 2026 11:17 AM CDT

Judge rejects HHS Secretary Kennedy’s attempt to limit gender-affirming care for minors

A federal judge in Oregon has found that Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, acted "with cruelty” when he restricted federal funding to medical providers who provide gender-affirming care to minors.

Apr 21, 2026 12:31 PM CDT

Children’s futures at stake in Supreme Court birthright citizen case

These children are among those who would be denied United States citizenship if the Supreme Court allows President Donald Trump’s 2025 executive order limiting birthright citizenship to take effect.

Mar 26, 2026 10:24 AM CDT

Supreme Court bans California gender privacy rule in public schools

California public schools can now inform parents if students identify as transgender or nongender conforming without getting the child’s approval, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday in response to an emergency appeal from a conservative legal group.

Mar 3, 2026 11:19 AM CST

Policy on trans students’ pronouns didn’t violate teacher’s rights, court says

Montgomery County Public Schools did not violate the First Amendment rights of a Christian substitute teacher by requiring her to use transgender students’ pronouns in the classroom, according to a ruling by a federal appeals court.

Feb 2, 2026 1:52 PM CST

California bar investigating law firm over alleged fake sex abuse claims

The State Bar of California is investigating the Downtown Los Angeles Law Group over allegations that the law firm told its clients to “fabricate stories of abuse.”

Jan 30, 2026 10:39 AM CST

Supreme Court considers challenges to laws banning transgender participation in sports

Becky Pepper-Jackson was assigned male at birth but began transitioning to a female gender identity in third grade. Her West Virginia school district has been sympathetic, providing a gender support plan that among other things respects her chosen name and pronouns.

Jan 8, 2026 10:54 AM CST

Companies use ‘deceitful tactics’ to market harmful ultra-processed products with ‘addictive nature,’ city’s suit alleges

A lawsuit filed Tuesday by the city of San Francisco alleges that several major food companies used “deceitful tactics it inherited from the Big Tobacco industry” to market harmful ultra-processed foods and to "aggressively sell those products to children.”

Dec 4, 2025 11:20 AM CST