Case: Bruce v. State of South Dakota

5:17-cv-05080 | U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota

Filed Date: Oct. 13, 2017

Closed Date: Jan. 25, 2019

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Case Summary

On October 13, 2017, a private plaintiff brought suit against the State of South Dakota and the Commissioner of the South Dakota Bureau of Human Resources in U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota, Western Division. Plaintiff, a transgender man who worked for state government, alleged that South Dakota’s healthcare coverage to state employees, offered through the South Dakota State Employee Health Plan (“SDSEHP”), categorically excludes medical care for gender dysphoria. Plaintiff…

On October 13, 2017, a private plaintiff brought suit against the State of South Dakota and the Commissioner of the South Dakota Bureau of Human Resources in U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota, Western Division. Plaintiff, a transgender man who worked for state government, alleged that South Dakota’s healthcare coverage to state employees, offered through the South Dakota State Employee Health Plan (“SDSEHP”), categorically excludes medical care for gender dysphoria. Plaintiff alleged that as a result of the SDSEHP exclusions, he could not receive chest reconstruction surgery and paid out of pocket for hormone therapy, treatments which he stated were in accordance with widely accepted standard of care for treating gender dysphoria. Plaintiff filed a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2016, which granted him right-to-sue. Plaintiff alleged that the inadequacies of South Dakota’s state health insurance program violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, by discriminating on the basis of transgender status and gender nonconformity, and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, by discriminating on the basis of gender, which is subject to heightened scrutiny analysis. Plaintiff pled for declaratory and injunctive relief for their claims.

On July 2, 2018, plaintiff (with leave granted by the court) filed an amended complaint, where plaintiff clarified the relief being sought. Specifically, plaintiffs pled that they were seeking injunctive relief to require defendants to remove the SDSEHP exclusions and also sought an evaluation of whether his chest-reconstruction surgery and hormone therapy are medically necessary within the scope of the SDSEHP.

On October 26, 2018, plaintiff filed a motion for summary judgment; on the same day, the defendants filed a motion for summary judgment as well.

However, before the court had the opportunity to decide the motions for summary judgment, the plaintiff passed away. On December 10, 2018, defendants filed a statement to give notice to the court of the death. The court stayed all deadlines.

A consent motion to dismiss was filed in the case, and on January 25, 2019, the court granted that motion, dismissing the case with prejudice.

The case is now closed.

Summary Authors

Keren Yi (4/21/2025)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/7225730/parties/bruce-v-state-of-south-dakota/


Judge(s)
Attorney for Plaintiff

Block, Joshua A. (South Dakota)

Bowie, Courtney A. (South Dakota)

Cooper, Leslie (South Dakota)

Leach, James D. (South Dakota)

Attorney for Defendant

Johnson, Gerald D. (South Dakota)

Documents in the Clearinghouse

Documents in this case
1

5:17-cv-05080

Complaint

Oct. 13, 2017

Oct. 13, 2017

Complaint
24

5:17-cv-05080

Amended Complaint

July 2, 2018

July 2, 2018

Complaint
48

5:17-cv-05080

Defendants’ Statement Noting Death of Terri Bruce

Dec. 10, 2018

Dec. 10, 2018

Other
52

5:17-cv-05080

Order Dismissing Case

Jan. 25, 2019

Jan. 25, 2019

Order/Opinion

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/7225730/bruce-v-state-of-south-dakota/

Last updated April 13, 2026, 4:55 a.m.

ECF Number Date Description Link
1 Oct. 13, 2017

COMPLAINT filed by Terri Bruce. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A - USEEOC Determination, # 2 Exhibit B - Notice of Right to Sue, # 3 Exhibit C - 5/9/2016 Letter from Health Management Partners, # 4 Exhibit D - 5/26/2016 Letter from South Dakota State Employee Benefits Program) (SRC) (Entered: 10/13/2017)

1 Exhibit A - USEEOC Determination

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2 Exhibit B - Notice of Right to Sue

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3 Exhibit C - 5/9/2016 Letter from Health Management Partners

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4 Exhibit D - 5/26/2016 Letter from South Dakota State Employee Benefits Program

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2 Oct. 13, 2017

CIVIL COVER SHEET. (SRC) (Entered: 10/13/2017)

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3 Oct. 13, 2017

Filing Fee Received from Terri Bruce. Fee Amount: $400, Receipt No.: #SDX500005054. (SRC) (Entered: 10/13/2017)

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4 Oct. 13, 2017

Summons Issued as to Laurie Gill, State of South Dakota. 2 original summons, 3 A085s, and one Rule 73 memo delivered to plaintiff's counsel via hand-delivery to law office staff. (SRC) (Main Document 4 replaced on 10/13/2017) (KLK). (Entered: 10/13/2017)

RECAP
5 Oct. 13, 2017

MOTION for Attorney Courtney A. Bowie to be Admitted Pro Hac Vice (paid $100 PHV fee; receipt number 0869-2629915) by Terri Bruce. (Leach, James) (Entered: 10/13/2017)

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6 Oct. 13, 2017

MOTION for Attorney Joshua A. Block to be Admitted Pro Hac Vice (paid $100 PHV fee; receipt number 0869-2629922) by Terri Bruce. (Leach, James) (Entered: 10/13/2017)

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7 Oct. 13, 2017

MOTION for Attorney Leslie Cooper to be Admitted Pro Hac Vice (paid $100 PHV fee; receipt number 0869-2629924) by Terri Bruce. (Leach, James) (Entered: 10/13/2017)

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8 Oct. 16, 2017

ORDER granting 5 Motion for Admission Pro Hac Vice of Courtney A. Bowie. Signed by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken on 10/16/17. (SB) (Entered: 10/16/2017)

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9 Oct. 16, 2017

ORDER granting 6 Motion for Admission Pro Hac Vice of Joshua A. Block. Signed by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken on 10/16/17. (SB) (Entered: 10/16/2017)

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10 Oct. 16, 2017

ORDER granting 7 Motion for Admission Pro Hac Vice of Leslie Cooper. Signed by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken on 10/16/17. (SB) (Entered: 10/16/2017)

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11 Oct. 19, 2017

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF SERVICE Executed Acknowledgement filed by Terri Bruce. (Leach, James) (Entered: 10/19/2017)

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12 Oct. 25, 2017

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF SERVICE Executed 10/25/17 by Laurie Gill Acknowledgement filed by Terri Bruce. (Leach, James) (Entered: 10/25/2017)

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13 Nov. 2, 2017

NOTICE of Extension of Time to Answer or Otherwise Respond by Laurie Gill, State of South Dakota Notice of Unopposed Extension of Time to Answer Complaint. (Johnson, Gerald) Modified on 11/6/2017 per instructions from JLV chambers (SRC). (Entered: 11/02/2017)

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14 Nov. 7, 2017

TEXT ORDER granting 13 Motion for Extension of Time. Defendants shall file their answer by 11/29/17. Signed by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken on 11/7/17. (SB) (Entered: 11/07/2017)

RECAP
Nov. 7, 2017

Order on Motion for Extension of Time re Transcript

15 Nov. 8, 2017

NOTICE of Appearance by Gerald D. Johnson on behalf of Laurie Gill, State of South Dakota. (Johnson, Gerald) (Entered: 11/08/2017)

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16 Nov. 28, 2017

Defendants' ANSWER to 1 Complaint, with Jury Demand by All Defendants. (Johnson, Gerald) (Entered: 11/28/2017)

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17 Nov. 29, 2017

ORDER for Discovery Report and Scheduling Information. Signed by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken on 11/29/17. (SB) (Entered: 11/29/2017)

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18 Jan. 3, 2018

Discovery Report by State, Laurie Gill, and by Terri Bruce.(Leach, James) (Entered: 01/03/2018)

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19 Jan. 12, 2018

SCHEDULING ORDER: Discovery due by 9/5/2018. Motions due by 10/5/2018. Signed by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken on 1/12/18. (SB) (Entered: 01/12/2018)

RECAP
20 Feb. 22, 2018

Consent MOTION to Extend Deadlines by Terri Bruce. (Leach, James) (Entered: 02/22/2018)

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21 March 2, 2018

ORDER granting 20 Motion to Extend Deadlines. Signed by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken on 3/2/18. (SB) (Entered: 03/02/2018)

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22 June 20, 2018

Consent MOTION to Amend/Correct 1 Complaint, by Terri Bruce. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit Proposed Amended Complaint, # 2 Exhibit E-mail documenting consent) (Leach, James) (Entered: 06/20/2018)

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23 June 27, 2018

ORDER granting 22 Motion to Amend. Signed by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken on 6/29/18. (SB) (Entered: 06/27/2018)

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24 July 2, 2018

AMENDED COMPLAINT filed by Terri Bruce. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit 6/21/17 Letter from EEOC to Mr. Bruce and State, # 2 Exhibit Notice of Right to Sue, # 3 Exhibit 5/9/16 Letter re: Administrative Non-Certification, # 4 Exhibit 5/26/16 Letter South Dakota to Mr. Bruce, # 5 Exhibit Notice of Scrivener's Error) (Leach, James) (Entered: 07/02/2018)

Clearinghouse
25 July 2, 2018

STIPULATION by State, Laurie Gill, and by Terri Bruce. (Leach, James) (Entered: 07/02/2018)

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26 July 13, 2018

Defendants' ANSWER to 24 Amended Complaint, by All Defendants. (Johnson, Gerald) (Entered: 07/13/2018)

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27 Sept. 13, 2018

Unopposed MOTION to Extend Deadlines Motion to Extend Briefing Deadlines by Laurie Gill, State of South Dakota. (Johnson, Gerald) (Entered: 09/13/2018)

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28 Sept. 14, 2018

TEXT ORDER granting 27 Motion to Extend Deadlines. All motions, other than motions in limine, together with supporting briefs, shall be filed and served on or before 10/26/18. Response briefs shall be filed and served by 12/3/18. Reply briefs shall be filed and served by 12/17/18. Signed by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken on 9/14/18. (SB) (Entered: 09/14/2018)

RECAP
29 Oct. 26, 2018

MOTION for SUMMARY JUDGMENT by Terri Bruce. (Leach, James) (Entered: 10/26/2018)

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30 Oct. 26, 2018

AFFIDAVIT in Support re 29 MOTION for SUMMARY JUDGMENT filed by Terri Bruce. (Leach, James) (Entered: 10/26/2018)

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31 Oct. 26, 2018

AFFIDAVIT in Support re 29 MOTION for SUMMARY JUDGMENT filed by Terri Bruce. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit South Dakota State Employee Health Plan (partial), # 2 Exhibit Defendants' Responses to Plaintif's First set of Interrogatories, # 3 Exhibit Defendants' First Supplemental Response to Interrogatory No. 1, # 4 Exhibit Defendants' First Supplemental Response to Plaintiff's Second Set of Interrogatories, # 5 Exhibit Expert Report and Declaration of Dr. George Brown, # 6 Exhibit Supplemental Expert Report and Declaration of Dr. George Brown, # 7 Exhibit Rebuttal Expert Report and Declaration of Dr. George Brown, # 8 Exhibit Dr. George Brown's c.v., # 9 Exhibit Rebutal Expert Report and Declaration of Dr. Loren Schechter, # 10 Exhibit Expert Report and Declaration of Dr. Paul Hruz, # 11 Exhibit Expert Report and Declaration of Dr. Daniel Sutphin, # 12 Exhibit Deposition of Dr. Paul Hruz, # 13 Exhibit Deposition of Dr. Daniel Sutphin, # 14 Exhibit Rule 30(b)(6) Deposition of Defendant Laurie Gill, # 15 Exhibit Rule 30(b)(6) Deposition of Thomas Steckel, # 16 Exhibit Rule 30(b)(6) Deposition of Dr. Jeff Luther, # 17 Exhibit Aetna's insurance coverage guidelines for gender dysphoria, # 18 Exhibit Anthem's insurance coverage guidelines for gender dysphoria, # 19 Exhibit Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota's insurance coverage guidelines for gender dysphoria, # 20 Exhibit Cigna's insurance coverage guidelines for gender dysphoria, # 21 Exhibit United Healthcare's insurance coverage guidelines for gender dysphoria, # 22 Exhibit US Dept of H&HS's Departmental Appeals Board's 2014 decisioin re transition-related surgery, # 23 Exhibit US Dept. of H&HS's Center for Medicare & Medicaid Service's 2016 decision memo re a national coverage decision for transition-related surgery, # 24 Exhibit Amer. Med. Assn. (2008) Resolution 122 (A-08), # 25 Exhibit Amer. Psychiatric. Assoc. Position Statement on Access to Care for Transgerder and Gender Variant Individuals (2012), # 26 Exhibit Endocrine Treatment of Gender-Dysphoric/Generder-Incongruent Persons: An Endocrime Society Clinical Practice Guideline, # 27 Exhibit Amer. Psychological Assoc. Policy Statement on Transgender, General Identity and Gender Expression Nondiscrimination (2008), # 28 Exhibit Milliman Care Guidelines' Summary of Guideline Development Policies and Procedures, # 29 Exhibit Milliman Care Guidelines for Mastectomy for Gynecomastia, # 30 Exhibit Milliman Care Guidelines for chest surgery to treat gender dysphoria, # 31 Exhibit Milliman Care Guideliens for genital surgery to treat genderal dysphoria) (Leach, James) (Entered: 10/26/2018)

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32 Oct. 26, 2018

STATEMENT OF UNDISPUTED MATERIAL FACTS re 29 Motion for Summary Judgment filed by Terri Bruce. (Leach, James) (Entered: 10/26/2018)

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33 Oct. 26, 2018

MEMORANDUM in Support re 29 MOTION for SUMMARY JUDGMENT filed by Terri Bruce. (Leach, James) (Entered: 10/26/2018)

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34 Oct. 26, 2018

MOTION for SUMMARY JUDGMENT by Laurie Gill, State of South Dakota. (Johnson, Gerald) (Entered: 10/26/2018)

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35 Oct. 26, 2018

MEMORANDUM in Support re 34 MOTION for SUMMARY JUDGMENT filed by Laurie Gill, State of South Dakota. (Johnson, Gerald) (Entered: 10/26/2018)

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36 Oct. 26, 2018

STATEMENT OF UNDISPUTED MATERIAL FACTS re 34 Motion for Summary Judgment filed by All Defendants. (Johnson, Gerald) (Entered: 10/26/2018)

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37 Oct. 26, 2018

AFFIDAVIT in Support re 34 MOTION for SUMMARY JUDGMENT filed by All Defendants. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit Hruz expert declaration, # 2 Exhibit Sutphin expert declaration, # 3 Exhibit Luther Affidavit, # 4 Exhibit DSM-V pages, # 5 Exhibit WPATH pages, # 6 Exhibit Health Plan pages, # 7 Exhibit Pla Ans IROGS, # 8 Exhibit Snyder Notes - Ltr, # 9 Exhibit HMP denial, # 10 Exhibit Steckel letter, # 11 Exhibit Lamprakos letter, # 12 Exhibit Def Ans Pla 1st IROGs, # 13 Exhibit Decision Memo 2016, # 14 Exhibit Addtl docs produced with RFP, # 15 Exhibit Def Ans Pla 2nd IROGs, # 16 Exhibit Numbers costs mastectomies, # 17 Exhibit AON cost info, # 18 Exhibit Depo Laurie Gill pages, # 19 Exhibit Depo Steckel pages, # 20 Exhibit Depo Luther pages, # 21 Exhibit Depo Schechter pages) (Johnson, Gerald) (Entered: 10/26/2018)

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38 Oct. 26, 2018

CERTIFICATE Compliance by Laurie Gill, State of South Dakota (Johnson, Gerald) (Entered: 10/26/2018)

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39 Dec. 3, 2018

RESPONSE to Motion re 34 MOTION for SUMMARY JUDGMENT filed by Terri Bruce. (Leach, James) (Entered: 12/03/2018)

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40 Dec. 3, 2018

STATEMENT OF DISPUTED MATERIAL FACTS re 34 Motion for Summary Judgment filed by Terri Bruce. (Leach, James) (Entered: 12/03/2018)

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41 Dec. 3, 2018

AFFIDAVIT in Opposition re 34 MOTION for SUMMARY JUDGMENT filed by Terri Bruce. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit Excerpts Sutphin Deposition, # 2 Exhibit Excerpts Schechter Deposition, # 3 Exhibit Excerpts Brown Deposition) (Leach, James) (Entered: 12/03/2018)

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42 Dec. 3, 2018

RESPONSE to Motion re 29 MOTION for SUMMARY JUDGMENT filed by All Defendants. (Johnson, Gerald) (Entered: 12/03/2018)

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43 Dec. 3, 2018

RESPONSE to 32 Statement of Material Facts filed by All Defendants. (Johnson, Gerald) (Entered: 12/03/2018)

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44 Dec. 3, 2018

Supplemental AFFIDAVIT in Support re 34 MOTION for SUMMARY JUDGMENT filed by All Defendants. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit 22 - Dr. Hruz depo pages, # 2 Exhibit 23 - Dr. Brown depo pages, # 3 Exhibit 24 - Dr. Sutphin depo pages, # 4 Exhibit Dr. Luther depo pages, # 5 Exhibit Laurie Gill depo pages) (Johnson, Gerald) Modified text on 12/4/2018 (SST). (Entered: 12/03/2018)

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45 Dec. 3, 2018

CERTIFICATE of Compliance by Laurie Gill, State of South Dakota (Johnson, Gerald) (Entered: 12/03/2018)

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46 Dec. 5, 2018

Unopposed MOTION to Stay Briefing Schedule by Terri Bruce. (Leach, James) Modified text on 12/6/2018 (SST). (Entered: 12/05/2018)

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47 Dec. 6, 2018

TEXT ORDER granting 46 Motion to Extend 28 scheduling order. The parties shall file additional motions or briefing by 1/4/19. Signed by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken on 12/6/18. (SB) (Entered: 12/06/2018)

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48 Dec. 10, 2018

STATEMENT by Defendants Laurie Gill, State of South Dakota re 47 Order on Motion to Stay DEFENDANTS' STATEMENT NOTING DEATH OF TERRI BRUCE (Johnson, Gerald) (Entered: 12/10/2018)

Clearinghouse
49 Jan. 4, 2019

TEXT ORDER staying all deadlines pending further order of the court. Signed by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken on 1/4/19. (SB) (Entered: 01/04/2019)

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50 Jan. 14, 2019

Consent MOTION to DISMISS by Terri Bruce. (Leach, James) (Entered: 01/14/2019)

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51 Jan. 15, 2019

RESPONSE to 50 Motion to Dismiss Defendants' Response to Plaintiff's Motion to Voluntarily Dismiss Case filed by All Defendants. (Johnson, Gerald) (Entered: 01/15/2019)

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52 Jan. 25, 2019

ORDER granting 50 Motion to Dismiss. Signed by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken on 1/25/19. (SB) (Entered: 01/25/2019)

Clearinghouse

Case Details

State / Territory:

South Dakota

Case Type(s):

Public Benefits/Government Services

Healthcare Access and Reproductive Issues

Key Dates

Filing Date: Oct. 13, 2017

Closing Date: Jan. 25, 2019

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

Plaintiff is a transgender man who worked for state government, and was denied gender-affirming medical treatment under the South Dakota State Employee Health Plan

Attorney Organizations:

ACLU Affiliates (any)

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

State

Commissioner of the South Dakota Bureau of Human Resources

State of South Dakota

Defendant Type(s):

Jurisdiction-wide

Case Details

Causes of Action:

Title VII (including PDA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000e

Constitutional Clause(s):

Equal Protection

Other Dockets:

District of South Dakota 5:17-cv-05080

Available Documents:

Any published opinion

Complaint (any)

Trial Court Docket

Outcome

Prevailing Party: None Yet / None

Relief Granted:

None

Source of Relief:

None

Issues

Affected Sex/Gender(s):

Transgender

LGBTQ+:

LGBTQ+

Medical/Mental Health Care:

Gender-affirming care

Recommended Citation