A federal court has ordered California to pay $4.52 MILLION in attorneys’ fees in Mirabelli v. Bonta—our landmark parental rights case challenging California’s policy of concealing children’s gender transitions from their parents.
Full details, court order, and reactions: https://thomasmoresociety.org/…/federal-court-orders…
“A $4.5 million fee award sends an unmistakable message to state governments and school districts across the country: if you trample the constitutional rights of parents, you will pay for it—literally,” reacted Peter Breen, TMS EVP & Head of Litigation.
In an 8-page order, Judge Benitez granted the full fee petition and placed the blame squarely on California’s own litigation strategy—detailing a pattern of “litigation intransigence,” including repeated motions to dismiss after prior ones were denied, filing an appeal without waiting for the Court’s ruling, and twice withdrawing arguments after they were “shown to be inarguably meritless.”
“California fought this case at every turn with meritless arguments and procedural gamesmanship… This order confirms that California’s decision to trample parental rights was not only unconstitutional, but costly. Every school district and government official is now on notice and should ensure full compliance with the Court’s injunction,” reacted Paul Jonna, TMS Special Counsel & Partner at LiMandri & Jonna LLP.
Judge Benitez also noted that California continues to resist the ruling even after its Supreme Court loss, litigating “based on the thinnest of arguments” and filing a motion to modify the very injunction SCOTUS reviewed and reinstated.
Thomas More Society will continue to enforce Mirabelli nationwide. Any school district or state that tries to cut parents out of their children’s lives should expect the same result.
