The Ohio Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Tuesday over a state law that banned gender affirming treatment for minors.
The state argues that there is no substantive right in the Ohio Constitution allowing for minors to change genders through medical treatments.
A Columbus family and a Cleveland family sued the state over the law that took effect in 2024. The state appealed an appellate court decision favoring the families.
Jordan Bock, a lawyer for the families, told the Supreme Court that even an expert for the state had testified that youths could receive treatments.
"He was the only expert from the state who had experienced treating minors for gender dysphoria, recognized that these treatments are appropriate for some children. The state jumps from that to a total ban," Bock said.
The state appealed a 2025 10th District Court of Appeals decision that favored the families, the ruling said Ohio cannot enforce a ban on gender-affirming care for minors.
The Ohio Attorney General's Office in April 2025 filed a motion to the state's high court for a stay to prevent the law from being enforced while the case was pending at the Supreme Court. The court appealed that on April 29, 2025.
Mathura Sridharan, a lawyer for the state of Ohio, told the Supreme Court that parents have rights, but those rights don't override state law.
"Parents have discretion certainly to govern and direct the medical treatment of their children. But again, they do not have a constitutional right to override the General Assembly when it comes to determinations as to what is allowable health care in Ohio," Sridharan said.
The court will issue an opinion on the case at a later date.