Sherrill Farrell, et al vs. United States Department Of Defense, et al

Case Background

On August 8, 2023, Plaintiff Sherrill Farrell and others filed a Class action lawsuit in the United States District Court, California Northern, San Francisco division(Case number: 3:23cv4013). Magistrate Judge Joseph C. Spero presided over this case.

Cause

The United States Armed Forces enforced discriminatory policies against LGBTQ+ service members for decades. These policies, including "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" (DADT) and earlier rules, explicitly barred individuals from serving openly based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation. Between 1980 and 2011, the military discharged over 35,800 service members under labels such as "homosex