Judge in Missouri transgender care lawsuit agrees to step aside but decries 'gamesmanship'

A judge agreed Friday to step aside in a lawsuit challenging a new Missouri law restricting gender-affirming health care for minors, despite what he called “gamesmanship” from the plaintiffs’ lawyers for requesting a new judge.

St. Louis Circuit Judge Steven Ohmer was appointed by the Missouri Supreme Court to preside over the lawsuit that seeks to overturn the Missouri law. The lawsuit was filed in July by the ACLU of Missouri, Lambda Legal and the law firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner on behalf of families of three transgender minors, a St. Louis health care center and LGBTQ+ organizations.

Ohmer said at a hearing that assigning a new judge will delay resolution of the case, possibly into next year. It’s unclear when the state Supreme Court will make the appointment.