Federal judge blocks Department of Justice subpoenas for transgender medical records
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A federal judge in the Southern District of New York has issued a temporary restraining order to block the Department of Justice from obtaining medical records belonging to transgender patients. The decision halts several subpoenas related to an ongoing criminal probe into healthcare practices at local hospitals.
Amalgamated from The Hill (opens in new tab), STAT News (opens in new tab), The Independent (opens in new tab)
A federal judge in the Southern District of New York has issued a temporary restraining order to block the Department of Justice from accessing medical records belonging to transgender individuals treated at local hospitals. The ruling, as reported by The Hill, prevents federal prosecutors from executing subpoenas sought during an investigation into transgender care practices.
U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla granted the request for the restraining order. According to reports from both STAT News and The Independent, the court's action halts a criminal probe that sought to obtain medical records of patients at New York City hospitals.
Reporting from STAT News indicates that the legal block also applies to federal prosecutors in Texas who were seeking access to these documents. The order specifically targets the collection of data for individuals receiving gender-affirming care within the specified facilities.
The court's order serves as a temporary measure while the criminal investigation proceeds. By blocking the subpoenas, the court limits the immediate ability of federal authorities to gather patient records at the New York hospitals during this phase of the legal proceedings.