Great news! We just got a victory in federal appeals court for Valerie Kloosterman.

The University of Michigan Health System terminated Valerie, a physician assistant, because of her religious beliefs.

She explained that she couldn’t refer patients for gender-transition drugs or procedures because it conflicted with her Christian faith and medical judgment. When she requested a religious accommodation from affirming statements about gender, hospital officials attacked her. 

A federal appeals court reversed a lower district court ruling that had removed Valerie’s case out of court into arbitration. Today’s decision ensures Valerie will have her day in court.

“Today’s decision is a reckoning for institutions that discriminate and punish caring people of faith like Valerie Kloosterman,” said Kayla Toney, Counsel at First Liberty. “It was intolerant of University of Michigan Health to fire Valerie because of her religious beliefs, and now the Sixth Circuit has recognized that they cannot avoid accountability by hiding the case in arbitration.”

This is a significant step toward a final victory. But this legal fight is far from over.

The case is being sent back down to the lower court, meaning there’s still a long stretch of litigation ahead. Next, we’ll get to argue the merits of the case and prove in court that Michigan Health violated the law by firing our client.

This has been a difficult road for Valerie and she’s going to need your continued support.

Winning Valerie's case is possible—but it’s going to take time, resources and prayer. Can she count on you through this next phase of litigation?