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Court ruling allows Oregon mom to resume adoption process

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled July 24 that an Oregon mother may move forward with adopting foster children without violating her religious beliefs while her lawsuit continues.
  • July 28, 2025
  • Special to TAB Media
  • Latest News, National News, Oregon
(Pexels photo)

Court ruling allows Oregon mom to resume adoption process

Jessica Bates (Photo courtesy of Alliance Defending Freedom)

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled July 24 that an Oregon mother may move forward with adopting foster children without violating her religious beliefs while her lawsuit continues.

In 2023, Jessica Bates sued Oregon’s Department of Human Services. She claimed she was excluded from adoption due to her refusal to affirm gender ideology.

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The court reportedly determined Bates is likely to succeed in proving Oregon’s policy violates her First Amendment rights and ordered the state to reconsider her application.

Alliance Defending Freedom, representing Bates, praised the decision as a victory for religious freedom and the rights of faith-based adoptive parents.

See related stories:

9th Circuit rejects gender-ideology mandate for adoption, Oregon mom now free to care for kids in need -Alliance Defending Freedom

Federal Appeals Court Rejects Gender Identity Mandate to Adopt Children -Decision Magazine

Oregon mom can move forward with adoption despite defiance of state’s LGBTQ-affirming policies, court rules -KGW8 NBC

The links above are a sampling of headlines related to the story and are not an endorsement of all viewpoints or reporting.


EDITOR’S NOTE — This report is a summary of a news release by Alliance Defending Freedom. 

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