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Lambda Legal Attorney Carl Charles Indicted After Challenging Alabama Ban on Trans Youth Gender-Affirming Care
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The legal and political landscape surrounding gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth in Alabama has been contentious for years. In 2022, Alabama enacted a law prohibiting medical professionals from providing gender-affirming treatments—including puberty blockers and hormone therapy—to minors, sparking immediate court challenges from civil rights organizations and LGBTQ+ advocates .
Lambda Legal, a premier nonprofit focused on LGBTQ+ rights, played a central role in these legal efforts. Carl Charles, serving as counsel for the organization, was instrumental in advancing the cases that challenged Alabama’s statute, arguing that the ban violated constitutional protections and disproportionately harmed transgender youth .
On September 8, 2025, federal prosecutors in the Middle District of Alabama unsealed an indictment against Carl Charles, charging him with making false statements during a judicial inquiry into alleged “judge shopping” practices .
The inquiry centered on whether attorneys, including Charles, had attempted to influence case assignments to obtain a more favorable judge for the challenge against Alabama’s ban. Prosecutors allege that Charles made a false declaration to the judicial panel investigating these claims . Charles and Lambda Legal have categorically denied any wrongdoing, stating that the phone call at the center of the indictment was “entirely legal and proper” and had been acknowledged as such by the court itself .
The indictment has elicited immediate and forceful responses from LGBTQ+ legal organizations, advocacy groups, and allies. Lambda Legal issued a public statement condemning the indictment as an “outrageous act of governmental overreach,” defending both Charles’s conduct and the broader right of attorneys to advocate for civil rights causes without fear of retaliatory prosecution .
“For more than three years, our colleague, Carl Charles, has been subjected to unprecedented and abusive judicial proceedings, smearing his character and undermining his role in fighting for some of the most vulnerable people in society,” the statement read. “We fundamentally disagree with the characterization of the events that underpin this indictment, which ignores the fact that the routine phone call at issue was acknowledged by the court to be entirely legal and proper” .
Other national LGBTQ+ organizations have echoed Lambda Legal’s sentiments, warning that the prosecution of Charles could set a dangerous precedent for attorneys representing marginalized communities in politically charged cases .
Civil rights experts argue that the indictment raises profound questions about the intersection of legal advocacy, free speech, and judicial independence. According to legal scholars, prosecuting attorneys for actions related to case assignment—especially when those actions have been deemed legal by the courts—risks chilling the ability of lawyers to challenge discriminatory laws .
Lambda Legal and its supporters contend that such prosecutions undermine the First Amendment rights of attorneys and advocacy groups. The organization has called on legal professionals, activists, and community members to stand in solidarity with Charles and to demand accountability from government officials who pursue what they regard as politically motivated charges .
The outcome of this case carries significant implications for transgender youth in Alabama and across the United States. The ban on gender-affirming care remains in effect amid ongoing litigation, and the legal battles over access to medical care for transgender minors continue to be fiercely contested .
LGBTQ+ advocacy groups fear that the indictment of prominent legal counsel could deter lawyers from taking up similar cases, potentially leaving vulnerable communities without crucial legal representation. National organizations have reiterated their commitment to fighting discriminatory laws and ensuring that all transgender people, particularly youth, have access to medically necessary care free from political interference .
The prosecution of Carl Charles occurs against a backdrop of intensifying legal and legislative battles over LGBTQ+ rights nationwide. Recent years have seen a surge in laws targeting transgender people, especially youth, and in efforts to restrict access to gender-affirming care. Lambda Legal and allied organizations have emphasized that defending the rights of transgender youth is integral to the broader struggle for LGBTQ+ equality .
The organization’s statement highlights the pivotal role of legal advocacy in challenging unjust laws and advancing civil rights. “We unequivocally stand behind Carl and all of our attorneys, who adhere to the highest ethical and professional standards every day in pursuit of our mission to advance and defend the rights of LGBTQ+ people,” Lambda Legal affirmed .
The case is expected to have lasting repercussions for legal advocacy, judicial independence, and the rights of transgender youth in Alabama and beyond .
