U.S. District Judge Cynthia Valenzuela dismissed a Department of Justice lawsuit challenging California policies that allow transgender athletes to compete on girls' school sports teams. The judge did not rule on the underlying question of whether those policies violate Title IX. Instead, she found that the federal government failed to give California explicit prior notice before threatening to pull $44 billion in education funds.
The Justice Department sued the California Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation in July 2025, alleging their transgender athlete policies discriminated against female athletes. The case was reported by Fox News Digital.
A DOJ spokesperson said the administration is not ready to walk away from the issue. "We are disappointed by the Court's order, and remain committed to enforcing President Trump's agenda preventing boys from playing in girls' sports," the spokesperson said. "We are evaluating our options for appeal."
Sophia Lorey, outreach director for the California Family Council and a former college soccer player who organized Save Girls' Sports demonstrations in California, said the dismissal should not be read as a legal victory for California on the merits. "California should not mistake a courtroom technicality for a victory," she said. "The judge did not rule that allowing males into girls' sports is fair, lawful, or consistent with Title IX. This case was dismissed on a technical issue without ever deciding the fundamental question at the heart of this fight."
Lorey said the fight will continue through both the courts and the state legislature. "I hope to see this decision appealed, but regardless, this fight is far from over," she said. "California lawmakers have the power right now to protect female athletes. A courtroom technicality does not erase biological sex, and it does not make discrimination against girls acceptable. We will not stop until CA girls are protected...California girls are still paying the price, losing medals, opportunities, roster spots, and privacy while state leaders prioritize gender identity over biological reality."
Sonja Shaw, a candidate for California superintendent of public instruction who has filed federal civil rights complaints over transgender athlete policies, also criticized the dismissal. "Parents in California are no strangers to this fight, or to these underhanded tactics. We stood up to Gavin Newsom and the CIF when they decided girls' sports and girls' locker rooms were political fodder," she said. "A Biden-appointed judge just tossed out a case that should have protected female athletes, and she did it after the Supreme Court already ruled that states can keep women's teams as a s" — the quote was cut off in source material at that point.
The DOJ has not announced a timeline for a final decision on whether to appeal.
