Texas court again halts child abuse investigations into families of transgender kids

A Travis County judge reinstated a temporary injunction that blocks the state from child abuse investigations into the families of transgender children on Monday evening.

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — A Travis County judge reinstated a temporary injunction that blocks the state from child abuse investigations into the families of transgender children on Monday evening.

State District Judge Amy Clark Meachum's order once again prevents the Child Protective Services branch under the Texas Department of Family Services from investigating parents who provide gender-affirming medical care to their transgender children.

Meachum originally blocked the investigations in a March 11 order. However, that was temporarily lifted after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton appealed the decision.

In a tweet on March 11, Paxton said the investigations into "those trying to abuse our kids through 'trans' surgeries and prescription drugs" are necessary and vowed to continue this fight.

"Thankfully, [a] Democrat judge's order permitting child abuse is frozen. Much needed investigations proceed as they should. This fight will continue up to the Supreme Court. I'm ready for it," Paxton tweeted on March 11.

The unsigned order from a panel of judges from the 3rd District Court of Appeals says the court wants to maintain the status quo, of when no investigations were happening at all. It went on to say that allowing the investigations to continue would cause irreparable harm to the parties suing, which includes Jane and Mary Doe, a parent and transgender minor.

The court rejected Paxton's arguments, which asserted that the investigations into gender care as abuse is the status quo.

"In this case, the trial court reviewed the evidence and concluded that appellees had established a probable right to recovery on their claims. It further concluded that the appellees had made a sufficient showing that allowing appellants to follow the Governor’s directive pending the outcome of this litigation would result in irreparable harm. Having reviewed the record, we conclude that reinstating the temporary injunction is necessary to maintain the status quo and preserve the rights of all parties," the order read.

The Monday ruling reinstating the temporary injunction is not on the merits of the case, but rather whether the investigations should be put on hold while the legality is determined in the courts.