State of Texas v. Loe
Description: The state of Texas is defending its law that protects children from unproven drug treatments that risk permanent harm.
Texas Supreme Court protects children from unproven, harmful drug treatments
The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Natalie Thompson regarding the Texas Supreme Court’s decision Friday in State of Texas v. Loe to uphold the state’s law that protects children from unproven drug treatments that risk permanent harm:
“Texas rightly enacted the Minors Protection Act to protect the health and welfare of all children—supporting their natural biological development and ensuring that children experiencing gender dysphoria have a chance for comprehensive healing and compassionate mental health support. Respected authorities continue to find that the overwhelming majority of children will naturally resolve their dysphoria as they mature. And no reliable scientific evidence demonstrates that these dangerous medical procedures improve mental health. That’s why countries like Sweden, England, and Finland—which once recommended these procedures for children—are now restricting them and protecting children from the devastating effects they have had on countless lives. We’re grateful the Texas Supreme Court ruled to allow the state to continue protecting its children.”
ADF attorneys filed a friend-of-the-court brief with the Texas Supreme Court in February, urging it to allow the state’s law that protects vulnerable children to take effect. Thompson argued before the court on behalf of the state in January.
Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.
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ABOUT Natalie Thompson
Natalie D. Thompson serves as senior counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom, where her practice in the regulatory litigation group focuses on federal administrative law’s impact on religious freedom and the sanctity of life. Before joining ADF, Thompson served as an assistant solicitor general in the office of the Texas attorney general. In that role, she represented the state and its officials on appeal in significant litigation matters, including defending constitutional challenges to Texas laws and claims against state officials. As an assistant solicitor general, Thompson presented oral argument in numerous cases, including 12 arguments before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit and eight before the Supreme Court of Texas. Before her government service, Thompson clerked for the Hon. Andrew S. Oldham of the 5th Circuit, the Hon. Nathan L. Hecht, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas, and the Hon. Michael W. Mosman of the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon. Thompson graduated with honors from the University of Chicago Law School and received her BA magna cum laude from the University of Southern California. While a law student, she served on the executive board of the University of Chicago Law Review.
ABOUT John Bursch
John Bursch is senior counsel and vice president of appellate advocacy with Alliance Defending Freedom. Bursch has argued 12 U.S. Supreme Court cases and more than 30 state supreme court cases since 2011, and a recent study concluded that among all frequent Supreme Court advocates who did not work for the federal government, he had the 3rd highest success rate for persuading justices to adopt his legal position. Bursch served as solicitor general for the state of Michigan from 2011-2013. He has argued multiple Michigan Supreme Court cases in eight of the last ten terms and has successfully litigated hundreds of matters nationwide, including six with at least $1 billion at stake. As part of his private firm, Bursch Law PLLC, he has represented Fortune 500 companies, foreign and domestic governments, top public officials, and industry associations in high-profile cases, primarily on appeal. He received his J.D. magna cum laude in 1997 from the University of Minnesota Law School and is admitted to practice in numerous federal district and appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court.