Parents Ask SCOTUS to Open Door to Challenge Washington Youth-Shelter Laws — Standing Only, Not a Merits Win

September 13, 2026

Package note: Assigned primary is Just the News (Greg Piper, Sept. 12, 2026) on petitioners’ opening merits brief in International Partners for Ethical Care, Inc. v. Ferguson, No. 25-840. SCOTUS granted certiorari June 29, 2026; argument is set for December 7, 2026. The Question Presented is Article III standing, not whether the Washington statutes are constitutional on the merits. Headline/advocacy phrases such as “state-sanctioned kidnapping” / “state-sponsored kidnapping” are not judicial findings. Do not treat the cert grant or the opening brief as a merits win.

Sources

• Assigned primary (JTN): Greg Piper, What would Scalia do? Parents demand legal right to challenge ‘state-sanctioned kidnapping’ law, Just the News, Sept. 12, 2026 — https://justthenews.com/government/state-houses/what-would-scalia-do-parents-demand-legal-right-challenge-state-sanctioned (full article retrieved this pass)
• SCOTUS docket No. 25-840: International Partners for Ethical Care, Inc., et al. v. Bob Ferguson, Governor of Washington, et al. — https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/25-840.html (HTML retrieved; key dates cross-checked via SCOTUSblog case page)
• Question Presented (official PDF): https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/qp/25-00840qp.pdf
• Petitioners’ brief on the merits (filed Sept. 8, 2026): https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25/25-840/423495/20260908233951126_25-840%20Merits%20Brief.pdf (PDF retrieved)
• Respondents’ Brief in Opposition (May 14, 2026): Washington AG Nicholas W. Brown et al. — https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25/25-840/408875/20260514145154642_StateBIO.pdf (PDF retrieved)
• Ninth Circuit opinion (July 25, 2025), No. 24-3661: https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2025/07/25/24-3661.pdf — reported as 146 F.4th 841 (PDF / court summary retrieved)
• Enacted statutes / code:
• ESSB 5599, 68th Leg., Reg. Sess. (Wash. 2023), 2023 Wash. Sess. Laws ch. 408, effective July 23, 2023 — session-law PDF: https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2023-24/Pdf/Bills/Session%20Laws/Senate/5599-S.sl.pdf ; bill summary: https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5599&Year=2023
• SHB 1406, 68th Leg., Reg. Sess. (Wash. 2023), 2023 Wash. Sess. Laws ch. 151, effective July 23, 2023 — https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1406&Year=2023 ; session law: https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2023-24/Pdf/Bills/Session%20Laws/House/1406-S.SL.pdf
• Codification: RCW 13.32A.082 (shelter notice / DCYF duties) — https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=13.32A.082 (full current text retrieved)
• Outpatient adolescent consent (third challenged statute in the litigation): RCW 71.34.530 — https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=71.34.530
• Cross-reference definition used by RCW 13.32A.082: “gender-affirming treatment” in RCW 74.09.675(3) — https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=74.09.675