Case: State of Maine v. U.S. Department of Agriculture
1:25-cv-00131 | U.S. District Court for the District of Maine
Filed Date: April 7, 2025
Closed Date: May 2, 2025
Clearinghouse coding complete
Case Summary
This case challenged the Trump Administration's authority to suspend federal funding to states because they continue to permit transgender girls and women to participate in women's school sports. On April 7, 2025, the state of Maine filed this lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine. On April 2, 2025, the Department of Agriculture froze funds allocated to Maine to feed schoolchildren because the federal government had determined that Maine was violating Title IX by continuing to permit transgender girls to participate in girls' school sports. Represented by the Maine Attorney General, the plaintiff alleged that the funding freeze violated the Administrative Procedure Act ("APA"). The plaintiff asked the court to vacate and set aside the funding freeze and sought preliminary and permanent injunctive and declaratory relief. The case was assigned to District Judge John A. Woodcock.
The plaintiff filed a motion for a temporary restraining order (TRO) concurrently with the complaint. Judge Woodcock held a hearing on the TRO motion on April 8 and set a briefing schedule to conclude by April 10. Also on April 8, the plaintiffs filed an amended complaint with slightly more detailed factual allegations and a statement of verification by the Assistant Attorney General of Maine.
On April 9, the court issued an order asking the parties to submit briefings regarding the court's jurisdiction. The court cited a recent Supreme Court opinion in a similar case, suggesting that under the Tucker Act (28 U.S.C. § 1491), jurisdiction for suits based on "any express or implied contract with the United States" lies in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Judge Woodcock asked the parties to address whether the District of Maine had jurisdiction, whether the Tucker Act provided exclusive jurisdiction in the Claims Court, and whether the Supreme Court's recent holding was distinguishable from this case.
The Court issued a TRO on April 11 ordering the defendant to unfreeze and release the frozen funds during the pendency of the TRO. 778 F.Supp.3d 200. On April 15, the parties filed a joint motion to extend the TRO past its 14 day term to May 9, 2025. Following a hearing on April 15, the court granted the extension motion and ordered the parties to propose a hearing date for the forthcoming preliminary injunction ("PI") motion by May 2.
The case then settled; according to press reports, USDA restored the challenged funding, and in exchange, Maine withdrew the lawsuit on May 2.
This case is closed.
Summary Authors
Meredith Ulle (4/14/2025)
Clearinghouse (5/3/2025)
Jeremiah Price (6/5/2025)
People
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69853711/parties/state-of-maine-v-united-states-department-of-agriculture/
Woodcock, John A. (Maine)
FORSTER, SARAH A. (Maine)
TAUB, CHRISTOPHER C. (Maine)
LIZOTTE, ANDREW K. (Maine)
Documents in the Clearinghouse
Resources
Docket
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69853711/state-of-maine-v-united-states-department-of-agriculture/
Last updated April 20, 2026, 4:01 a.m.
Case Details
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Presidential/Gubernatorial Authority
Special Collection(s):
Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government
Key Dates
Filing Date: April 7, 2025
Closing Date: May 2, 2025
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Plaintiff is the State of Maine
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: No
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Federal
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. §§ 551 et seq.
Other Dockets:
District of Maine 1:25-cv-00131
Available Documents:
Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff OR Mixed
Relief Granted:
Preliminary injunction / Temp. restraining order
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Content of Injunction:
Issues
General/Misc.:
Food service / nutrition / hydration
Case Summary of State of Maine v. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, http://www.dev.clearinghouse.net/case/46349/ (last updated 6/5/2025).