Welcome to the TMS Weekly Dispatch for July 21, 2025—with the latest news and updates from the front line, to keep you in-the-know on all things Thomas More Society. If you missed last week’s edition, you can read it here.  

Here’s a look back at the past week:

FEDERAL RULING STOPS WASHINGTON LAW TARGETING SEAL OF CONFESSION: On Friday, a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction in Etienne v. Ferguson, blocking Washington’s SB 5375 and protecting the Catholic Sacrament of Confession. “The government has no place interfering in the deeply held religious practices and sacramental life of the Church, said Peter Breen, TMS Executive VP and Head of Litigation. “Such blatant anti-First Amendment policies cannot stand.”  

Earlier this month, Thomas More Society filed a “friend-of-the-court” brief on behalf of Bishop Robert Barron, arguing that Washington’s law unconstitutionally restricted a pivotal part of the Catholic faith and violated the right to free exercise of religion as protected by the First Amendment. The brief also highlighted that Washington’s law was clearly intended to discriminate against the Catholic faith, disregarding the sacred clergy-penitent privilege while continuing to allow attorneys and therapists to maintain confidentiality as appropriate to their profession.  

“This injunction is a significant and encouraging first step and should serve as a warning to state lawmakers nationwide, who are considering similar policies that meddle in the free exercise of faith,” Breen added.  

TMS SUBMITS FINAL BRIEFING IN CLASS ACTION CASE AGAINST CHILD GENDER SECRECY RULES: On July 16, Thomas More Society attorneys filed groundbreaking motions in Mirabelli v. Olson in preparation for a major hearing set to take place on August 18, 2025. The filed motions include a Motion for Summary Judgment, Motion for Class Certification, and Motion to Exclude Experts.

Notably, the newest filings ask the court to reconsider ‘expert testimonies’ provided by Darlene Tando and Christine Brady for the State of California, both of whom openly subscribe to radical gender ideology, and who made claims during their testimonies that lacked scientific rigor and remain unproven. “The junk science used to justify deceiving parents while ‘transitioning’ their kids must be firmly rejected by the Court,” reacted Peter Breen.  

School district policies—implemented under guidance from the state’s Department of Education—mandating that teachers hide their students’ gender dysphoria from parents, cause irreparable har. This is clear in the case of “Child Poe,” the child of two parent-plaintiffs in Mirabelli v. Olson. Child Poe’s parents were not made aware of their daughter’s gender confusion until after she had attempted suicide and a doctor in the hospital informed them. Now, they seek justice and clarity for other parents kept in the dark by their children’s schools  

“Child Poe’s story is a parent’s worst nightmare,” said Paul Jonna, TMS Special Counsel. “Parents trust schools with their children's education—yet they don’t realize that California schools…actively hide some of the most important, foundational information about their children, like their gender identity.”

“These policies, driven by political ideology masquerading as law, endanger vulnerable students and strip parents of their fundamental right to direct their children’s upbringing.”

TMS FILES OPENING BRIEF CHALLENGING CALIFORNIA AG’S PRO-LIFE SPEECH WITCH-HUNT: After a federal district court declined to protect Culture of Life Family Services, a Catholic pregnancy center in San Diego, with a court order against California Attorney General Rob Bonta, TMS attorneys are in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals asking that the federal appeals court vindicate COLFS’ First Amendment rights to help women in need.

The just-filed opening brief argues that by targeting pro-life speech about Abortion Pill Reversal (APR), Bonta is clearly violating COLFS’ First Amendment right to share information about APR by chilling their speech about life-affirming alternatives to abortion. COLFS’ speech is not, as Bonta claims, misleading, as scientific studies and thousands of babies saved thanks to APR manifestly demonstrate.  

Moreover, Bonta’s actions illegally single out and target nonprofit, pro-life ministries based on their speech and viewpoint—while failing to investigate Planned Parenthood, which frequently makes anti-APR claims without sufficient evidence, and makes demonstrably false claims regarding the safety of chemical abortion. Thomas More Society is asking the Ninth Circuit to shield COLFS from Bonta’s censorship tactics, and allow COLFS to continue helping California women to learn about all their options, without fear of legal reprisal from the California Attorney General.  

JUSTICE RESTORED IN ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS: Thomas More Society won a victory for pro-life speech in Rockford, Illinois, vindicating a pro-life advocate. In 2024, Kevin Rilott, President of Rockford Family Initiative, was sharing life-affirming resources with women outside of a residential abortion facility's parking and entrance—which was designated as a public right-of-way. He was accosted by a passerby for his pro-life advocacy, who then called the police on him. The law enforcement officer issued Rilott a citation—even though he had not broken the law, nor acted in a violent or belligerent way towards the woman or anyone else.  

Tom Olp, TMS Executive VP, successfully defended Rilott at the July 18 hearing, asserting his right to sidewalk counsel and pray on public property. All charges against him were dismissed, and he can now continue his pro-life ministry in Rockford without baseless charges hanging over his head.  

Earlier this year, Thomas More Society attorneys won a court victory that directly led to the closure of the illegal residential abortion business outside of which Rilott had been sidewalk counseling the day he was accosted and ticketed. “Thomas More Society has been defending the rights of the people of Rockford for fifteen years with the clear result being countless babies have been saved from abortion—and their families having life and hope in Rockford,” said Kevin Rilott.