Judge hints at federal class action, orders DOJ evidence in trans military ban casehttps://www.advocate.com/news/talbott-trans-military-class-action 🔗Christopher Wiggins (16 March 2026)
A federal judge on Monday ordered the Trump administration to turn over the evidence behind its restrictions on transgender military service members, while laying the groundwork for a potential class action that could extend the case's protections to transgender troops across the armed forces.
The hearing in Talbott v. United States had originally been scheduled to take place in person at the federal courthouse in Washington, D.C. But Judge Ana Reyes moved the proceeding online due to forecasts of widespread severe weather across the capital region.
Reyes granted in part the plaintiffs' request to move the case forward and denied, for now, a government motion seeking to halt proceedings while the litigation continues on appeal.
In an electronic order issued after the hearing, the judge directed the government to produce, by April 30, the certified administrative record underlying the policy, as well as the internal materials and evidence officials relied on in crafting the restrictions. She also ordered the government to provide the same documents it is producing in a related case, Shilling v. United States, pending in federal court in Washington state.
At the same time, Reyes set a schedule for a briefing on whether the case should proceed as a class action representing transgender service members more broadly. The parties must propose a briefing schedule by March 20, with arguments on class certification to conclude by June 12. A hearing on the issue is expected the week of June 29.
