U.S. District Judge Cynthia Valenzuela dismissed the case, finding that the federal government had not given California explicit prior notice before threatening to withdraw $44 billion in education funds, which violates administrative funding rules.

Because the decision rested on that notice requirement, the court did not address the underlying Title IX question or the broader debate about biological fairness in girls’ sports.

Sophia Lorey, outreach director of the California Family Council, said the ruling “did not resolve the central Title IX dispute” and vowed to keep fighting the state’s transgender‑athlete policies.

Sonja Shaw, a candidate for California superintendent of public instruction, also criticized the dismissal and promised to continue the legal fight for “fairness, safety, privacy and the future of female athletes.”

The case illustrates how a procedural technicality—failure to provide required prior notice—can end a high‑profile lawsuit before any substantive policy issues are examined.