Case: QueerDoc PLLC v. United States Department of Justice
2:25-mc-00042 | U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
Filed Date: July 8, 2025
Case Ongoing
Clearinghouse coding complete
Case Summary
This is a case challenging a government subpoena seeking medical records of transgender patients receiving gender-affirming care from a telemedicine provider.
QueerDoc is a telemedicine service that provides gender affirming care to transgender individuals. On June 11, 2025, QueerDoc received a subpoena from the government, which was signed by the Assistant Attorney General. The government issued the subpoena pursuant to Section 248 of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (18 U.S.C. § 3486) (HIPAA). The subpoena purported to investigate "Federal health care offenses as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 24(a)," which enumerated more than 20 federal health care offenses.
The subpoena sought a wide range of documents and data relating to QueerDoc's provision of gender affirming care. Specifically, the subpoena sought QueerDoc's medical records for every patient prescribed puberty blockers or hormone therapy. When QueerDoc inquired about the specifics of the government's concerns, Department of Justice (DOJ) attorneys responded that they were "only. . .aware that QueerDoc is a 'prominent' provider of gender affirming care through Telehealth and that it prescribes puberty blockers and hormones under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA)."
In response, QueerDoc filed this motion to quash the subpoena in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. QueerDoc alleged that "ending gender affirming care is not a valid statutory purpose of a HIPAA subpoena, yet the DOJ has issued the subpoena for precisely that reason." It further alleged that the subpoena was impermissibly overbroad, unduly burdensome, and a privacy infringement. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead was assigned to this case.
On October 27, 2025, the court granted the motion to quash, finding that the subpoena was pretextual and issued to advance the Administration’s policy goals rather than investigate specific legal violations. 2025 WL 3013568.
On November 21, 2025, the government appealed the court’s October 27 order to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. (25-7384)
On August 14, 2026, the Ninth Circuit reversed and remanded the district court’s October 27 order, holding that the DOJ acted within its statutory authority and that QueerDoc failed to demonstrate that the subpoena was issued for an improper purpose. The court also concluded that the lower court erred by quashing the subpoena in its entirety rather than narrowing its scope. Circuit Judge Richard A. Paez dissented, arguing that the DOJ had failed to satisfy its burden of showing that the subpoenaed information was relevant and material to its purported investigatory purpose. 2026 WL 2359440
This case is ongoing in the district court.
Summary Authors
Alexis Gil (8/21/2026)
People
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71783827/parties/queerdoc-pllc-v-united-states-department-of-justice/
Asner, Marcus (Washington)
Baker, La Rond
Attorney, Amy Whelan,
Attorney, Ms. Morgan
Counsel, Ms. Karen
Documents in the Clearinghouse
Docket
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71783827/queerdoc-pllc-v-united-states-department-of-justice/
Last updated Sept. 5, 2026, 3:50 a.m.
Docket for: QueerDoc PLLC v. United States Department of Justice
Case Details
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Healthcare Access and Reproductive Issues
Special Collection(s):
Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government
Key Dates
Filing Date: July 8, 2025
Case Ongoing: Yes
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
The plaintiff is QueerDoc PLLC, a Telehealth provider for gender affirming care.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: No
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Federal
Department of Justice
Case Details
Constitutional Clause(s):
Other Dockets:
Western District of Washington 2:25-mc-00042
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit 25-07384
Special Case Type(s):
Warrant or subpoena application (or protection)
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff OR Mixed
Relief Sought:
Relief Granted:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Issues
Affected Sex/Gender(s):
Medical/Mental Health Care:
Case Summary of QueerDoc PLLC v. United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/47100/ (last updated 8/21/2026).