United States v. Skrmetti (2025)

United States v. Skrmetti was a SCOTUS in the Classroom case. It was decided on June 18, 2025.

This case decided whether the Tennessee ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth was a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment because it discriminated on the basis of sex.

Each term Street Law selects the most classroom-relevant, student-friendly cases as our SCOTUS in the Classroom cases. Teachers are usually encouraged to hold moot courts of the case. However, because this case focuses on issues involving identity, Street Law does not recommend mooting it. Instead, consider using the Classifying Arguments activity. 

Case Issue:

Does Tennessee Senate Bill 1 (SB1) violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment?

Case Briefs:

• Brief of Petitioner: United States
• Brief of Respondents: Jonathan Skrmetti, et al.

Oral Argument:

• Audio recording and transcript of the oral argument from the Supreme Court

Decision:

• Link to the opinion of the Court

News Articles:

• SCOTUSblog by Amy Howe: “Supreme Court takes up challenge to ban on gender-affirming care,” (June 24, 2024)
• AP by Geoff Mulvihill and Carla K. Johnson: “Things to know about the gender-affirming care case as the Supreme Court prepares to weigh in,” (June 24, 2024) (Note: this article includes an interactive map of state actions on gender-affirming care)
• Reuters by Andrew Chung: “US Supreme Court to hear challenge to ban on transgender care for minors,” (June 24, 2024)

Video: 

• CBS News: “Gender-affirming care case headed to Supreme Court“
• Face the Nation: “Supreme Court to hear case on gender-affirming care for minors“