FreeState Justice appeals dismissal of EEOC challenge

FreeState Justice filed an opening brief in its appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, its counsel reported. The brief was filed October 23 in appeal No. 26-2110, challenging the dismissal of the group’s case over the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s handling of gender-identity discrimination charges.

The U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland dismissed the case on June 12. Its opinion recounted the complaint’s account that the EEOC had resumed processing charges involving hiring, firing and promotion, but had not resumed processing gender-identity-based harassment or retaliation charges at the time described. FreeState Justice, a Baltimore-based legal-services nonprofit serving LGBTQ+ people, is the plaintiff-appellant. Its counsel says the brief argues that the EEOC’s policy violates Title VII, the Administrative Procedure Act and constitutional protections; those are the appellant’s claims, not court findings.

The appeal remains unresolved. The opening brief does not itself change the policy or decide the case. A Fourth Circuit docket listing reproduces a September 3 order setting December 22, 2026, for the EEOC’s response and January 19, 2027, for FreeState Justice’s reply. The listing was last retrieved October 8, so it does not reflect any later schedule changes.