Minton v. Dignity Health is a lawsuit filed against a Dignity Health medical center for withholding medical care because of a patient's gender identity, amounting to sex discrimination in violation of California's Unruh Civil Rights Act.

Minton, 35, is a transgender man who was scheduled to receive a hysterectomy in August at Mercy San Juan Medical Center, a hospital in the Dignity Health chain. Two days prior to the appointment, a nurse called to discuss the surgery and Minton mentioned that he is transgender. The next day, the hospital canceled the procedure.

Dignity Health regularly allows hysterectomies for patients who are not transgender and Minton's doctor at Mercy San Juan Medical Center has said this is the first time the hospital has prevented her from doing this surgery and it was clear that the surgery was canceled because Minton is transgender.

Dignity Health is the 5th largest healthcare system in the country and the largest hospital provider in California, with 29 hospitals across the state.

Case Developments

RULING
November 21, 2021
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Dignity Health's appeal of the Court of Appeal decision.

UPDATE
December 18, 2019
Defendant's petition for review is denied by the California Supreme Court.

FILING
November 22, 2019
Appellants' Answer to Petition for Review

RULING
September 17, 2019
The Court of Appeal confirmed that it is illegal discrimination for a hospital to deny someone care simply because they’re transgender and allows the lawsuit filed by Evan Minton against Dignity Health to move forward. The opinion states: "subsequent rectification of [Dignity Health's] denial [of care], while likely mitigating plaintiff's damages, did not extinguish his cause of action for discrimination in violation of the Unruh Act" and "'Full and equal' access requires avoiding discrimination, not merely remedying it after it has occurred." Read the opinion.

FILING
April 19, 2019
Application for Leave to File Amicus Curiae Brief and Amicus Curiae Brief of the California Medical Association in Support of Plaintiff-Appellant Evan Minton

FILING
April 18, 2019
Application for Leave to File Amicus Curiae Brief and Proposed Brief of Amici Curiae National Center for Lesbian Rights and Twelve Additional Nonprofit Organizations in Support of Plaintiff-Appellant Evan Minton

FILING
April 5, 2019
Appellant's Reply Brief to Respondent's Brief

APPEAL
November 5, 2018
Appellant's Opening Brief to the Court of Appeal in California's First District Court of Appeal

FILING
November 11, 2017
Defendant Dignity Health's Reply Brief in Support of Demurrers to First Amended Verified Complaint.

FILING
November 3, 2017
Plaintiff Evan Minton's Memorandum of Points and Authorities in Opposition to Defendant Dignity Health's Demurrers to First Amended Complaint.

FILING
October 23, 2017
Defendant Dignity Health's Memorandum of Points and Authorities in Support of Demurrers to First Amended Verified Complaint.

FILING
September 9, 2017
Plaintiff's First Amended Complaint.

FILING
August 18, 2017
Defendant Dignity Health's Reply in Support of Demurrer to Verified Complaint.

FILING
July 24, 2017
Plaintiff's opposition to defendant's demurrers to verified complaint.

FILING
July 3, 2017
Dignity Health's Memorandum of Points and Authorities in Support of Demurrers to Verified Complaint.

FILING
July 3, 2017
Dignity Health dba Mercy San Juan Medical Center's Demurrers to Verified Complaint.

FILING
July 3, 2017
Declaration of Craig S. Rutenberg

FILING
July 3, 2017
Dignity Health's Notice of Demurrer to Verified Complaint .

FILING
July 3, 2017
Dignity Health's Request for Judicial Notice in Support of Demurrers to Verified Complaint.

FILING
April 19, 2017
Read the complaint.

Attorney(s)

Amanda Goad, Ruth Dawson, Melissa Goodman

Pro Bono Law Firm(s)

Covington & Burling LLP

Date filed

April 19, 2017

Court

Court of Appeal of the State of the California, First Appellate District, Division Four

Judge

The Honorable Harold E. Kahn

Status

Closed

Case number

17-558259