by Jorge Gomez, Director of Content Strategy • 2 minutes
Imagine your child runs away from home. You call the authorities, desperate to know where your child is and whether they’re safe.
Now imagine the government knows exactly where your child is—but refuses to tell you.
This isn’t hypothetical. It’s what Washington State law permits.
Washington State enacted laws that threaten parents’ right to direct their children’s upbringing according to their beliefs. Under state law, runaway children can be sheltered while the state withholds information from their parents and facilitates access to “gender-affirming” treatment without parental notification or consent.
For parents whose faith guides how they raise their children, the implications are staggering.
Since when does the government decide that parents are no longer in charge of raising their children?
That’s what’s at stake in our upcoming Dec. 7 argument in International Partners for Ethical Care v. Ferguson. We’re fighting to make sure government cannot push parents aside when their children need them most.
Winning this case will impact parental rights and religious freedom for families across America. Because this case isn’t just about Washington. It’s about whether all parents can protect their constitutional rights before their families suffer irreparable harm.
There’s a crucial, underlying legal principle at stake with this litigation.
When parents challenged Washington’s laws, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled they lacked legal standing to sue.
In other words, parents would have to wait until their child runs away—and potentially suffers serious harm—before a court will even hear their case.
Think about that. The government threatens a fundamental freedom, but the courts say you must wait for the consequences before seeking protection.
A victory could strengthen the ability of parents to challenge government interference before the damage is done.
And the principle impacts virtually every American. Constitutional protections mean little if Americans cannot go to court and seek relief of credible threats to their freedoms.
Supreme Court Cases That Could Change America
First Liberty is litigating at the Supreme Court at a level we have never seen before.
We have not just one, but two cases at the Supreme Court that will be argued over the next couple of months.
Our second Supreme Court argument will happen on January 20, 2027. The case of Missionaries of St. John the Baptist v. Frederick is another incredible opportunity to protect the rights of houses of worship and religious groups across America.
Plus, we have six additional cases pending—and more cases are on their way.
Supreme Court litigation costs millions of dollars and requires tremendous resources.
And because the need to fight cases at the Supreme Court level is greater than it has ever been, we launched a special SUPREME COURT DEFENSE FUND.
Your generosity is mission-critical right now—especially as we prepare for upcoming oral arguments.
These cases are an opportunity to win for our clients, set precedent, and change the future of religious freedom in our country. We cannot afford to retreat from these battles—not now. They are evidence of the continued escalation of the attack on religious liberty.
This is no time to ease up. We must seize this moment or risk watching hard-won protections disappear. Your support is urgent right now so we can fight—and win—these monumental Supreme Court battles.
