Zinner v. Tennessee
Plaintiff Gerda Zinner
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee
Case no. 3:23-cv-00535
STATUS: ONGOING
BACKGROUND
On May 25, 2023, Plaintiffs Gerda Zinner and Story VanNess brought suit against the State of Tennessee, alleging that the state’s public employee health benefits program unlawfully deprived both women of coverage for essential medical services because they are transgender. Specifically, they alleged that the policy violates the Fourteenth Amendment Equal Protection Clause, as well as Title VII and Title IX of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
On May 1, 2024, the plaintiffs’ filed a notices of supplemental authority, citing the 4th Circuit’s recent landmark decision in Kadel v. Folwell, and the 11th Circuit’s recent landmark decision in Lange v. Houston County. The state responded, and argued that the claims that prevailed in Kadel and Lange were inapposite; in any case, they were rejected by the 6th Circuit in L.W. v. Skrmetti.
Currently, the parties are awaiting a decision on the Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss, which the Plaintiffs opposed in January and February of 2024.
FILINGS BY THE PARTIES
Amended Complaint - Nov 22, 2023
State Defendants’ Mot. to Dismiss - Dec 6, 2023
Plaintiff’s Resp. to Mot. to Dismiss - Jan 10, 2024
Defendants’ Reply - Jan 24, 2024
Plaintiffs’ Surreply - Feb 1, 2024
FILINGS BY NON-PARTIES
Statement of Interest in Support of Plaintiffs (Dep’t of Justice, Civil Rights Division) - Sep 26, 2023