Case: Goninan v. Wash. Dep't of Corrections
3:17-cv-05714 | U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
Filed Date: Oct. 27, 2017
Case Ongoing
Clearinghouse coding complete
Case Summary
The plaintiff was a trans woman housed in a men's prison in Washington State. She filed this suit pro se on September 5, 2017, but later became represented by the ACLU. In the most recent complaint, the named defendants were the Secretary of Washington Department of Correction, the Chief Medical Officer for DOC, the Chief of Psychiatry for DOC, and the Director of Mental Health for DOC in their official capacities. The case was assigned to Judge Benjamin H. Settle in the District Court for the Western District of Washington. She sued them under 42 U.S.C. 1983.
The plaintiff alleged that the failure of prison administration to provide her with medically necessary gender affirming treatment amounts to a violation of her rights under the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. She requested injunctive relief requiring the defendants to provide her with adequate transition related care, to give her access to clothing and hygiene products consistent with her gender identity, and to transfer her to a women's facility.
While incarcerated, prison staff and administration denied the plaintiff access to transition-related care consistent with the WPATH standards. Due to a blanket DOC policy, the plaintiff had no access to surgical intervention despite medical necessity and her repeated requests. The prison employed a gender dysphoria consultant who supported the blanket ban on gender affirming surgery, however his guidance had been dismissed by courts in several lawsuits for being inconsistent with norms in the field and the WPATH standards. The plaintiff had also faced harassment from staff for her gender presentation, including verbal abuse and extensive time in solitary confinement.
Over the course of discovery, the plaintiff withdrew her request for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to make room for a motion on partial summary judgment that she filed on May 18, 2018. The plaintiff also sought sanctions against the defendants for allowing a doctor to ask questions of the plaintiff during a psychological evaluation, but this motion was denied on September 26, 2018. Judge Settle stated that, while the questions were inappropriate, the defendants did not direct the doctor to ask the questions, and there would be no further need for sanctions, since the psychological evaluation is complete.
On January 4, 2019, Judge Settle issued an opinion denying the plaintiff's motion for partial summary judgment, holding that the DOC policy regarding medical treatment for trans inmates was not unconstitutional on its face. On that date, he referred the matter to Magistrate Judge Richard Creatura. On April 15. 2019, in response, the ACLU amended the complaint.
During discovery under the amended complaint, the parties came to an agreement. This settlement agreement would allow the plaintiff to receive gender reassignment surgery if a medical examiner deemed it medically necessary. The plaintiff presented this settlement on March 20, 2020 through a motion to stay proceedings for 180 days in order to allow the settlement agreement to take place. Magistrate Judge Creatura approved the stay, and will check back in with the parties on September 9, 2020.
Summary Authors
Alex Moody (2/16/2020)
Ellen Aldin (5/26/2020)
People
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/6269476/parties/goninan-v-sinclair/
Creatura, John Richard (Washington)
Balson, Hank L. (Washington)
Byers, Benjamin C. (Washington)
Davis, Antoinette Marie (Washington)
Dibble, Candie M. (Washington)
Documents in the Clearinghouse
Docket
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/6269476/goninan-v-sinclair/
Last updated April 3, 2026, 4:57 a.m.
Case Details
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Healthcare Access and Reproductive Issues
Special Collection(s):
Transgender Healthcare Access Cases
Key Dates
Filing Date: Oct. 27, 2017
Case Ongoing: Yes
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
A trans woman housed in a men's prison on Washington State being denied gender affirming medical treatment.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Attorney Organizations:
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: Yes
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
State
Washington Department of Corrections
Defendant Type(s):
Facility Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Constitutional Clause(s):
Other Dockets:
Western District of Washington 3:17-cv-05714
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: None Yet / None
Relief Granted:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Content of Injunction:
Preliminary relief request withdrawn/mooted
Issues
General/Misc.:
Discrimination Basis:
LGBTQ+:
Medical/Mental Health Care:
Case Summary of Goninan v. Wash. Dep't of Corrections, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, http://www.dev.clearinghouse.net/case/17400/ (last updated 5/26/2020).