ADF Logo
Active U.S. Courts of Appeals

Wyatt Bury, LLC v. City of Kansas City

Summary

Licensed counselors, along with the state of Missouri, are suing Kansas City and Jackson County over ordinances that force counselors to violate their free speech and push children to reject biological reality. 

Case Timeline

  • February 2025: ADF attorneys filed a lawsuit on behalf of Kansas City counselors Wyatt Bury and Pamela Eisenreich challenging two ordinances that violate their First Amendment freedoms. Then-Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey joined the suit as a co-plaintiff.
  • May 2025: ADF attorneys delivered oral argument in the case at a federal district court.
  • July 2025: A federal district court blocked Kansas City from compelling the counselors to use pronouns inconsistent with their faith and allowed some of their claims to move forward but otherwise ruled against them.  The court also dismissed the state of Missouri as a plaintiff.
  • August 2025: ADF attorneys appealed the partial dismissal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit.

Article

Kansas City Counselors Forced to Choose Between Their Faith and Their Livelihood
March 23, 2026
Read More

Press Releases

May 13, 2026
Counselors in Kansas City, Jackson Co. ask 8th Circuit to uphold freedom of speech with clients
October 29, 2025
8th Circuit weighs whether government belongs in the counseling room
May 13, 2025
Counselors, MO attorney general ask court to end Kansas City, county ordinances censoring conversations with clients
February 10, 2025
Kansas City counselors, MO attorney general sue city, county for censoring private conversations with clients

Documents

Court

Title

Date

Appellate Court

Appellants' Reply Brief

02/27/2026

Appellate Court

Appellees' brief

02/05/2026

Appellate Court

Brief of the International Foundation for Therapeutic and Counseling Choice and Dr. Laura Haynes as amicus curiae in support of plaintiffs-appellants and for reversal

10/29/2025

Appellate Court

Brief of the State of Missouri and 18 other states in support of plaintiffs-appellants seeking reversal

10/28/2025

Appellate Court

Brief of the Alliance for Therapeutic Choice and Scientific Integrity as amicus curiae in support of appellants and reversal

10/28/2025

Appellate Court

Brief amicus curiae of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty in support of plaintiffs-appellants and reversal

10/28/2025

Appellate Court

Appellants' opening brief

10/24/2025

Trial Court

Notice of Appeal

08/07/2025

Trial Court

Order

07/10/2025

Trial Court

Plaintiffs' suggestions in opposition to defendants' motion to dismiss and reply in support of their preliminary injunction motion

04/14/2025

Trial Court

Declaration of D. Paul Sullins, Ph.D in Support of Plaintiffs' Reply in Support of their Motion for Preliminary Injunction

04/14/2025

Trial Court

Declaration of Stephen B. Levine, M.D. in Support of Plaintiffs' Reply in Support of their Motion for Preliminary Injunction

04/14/2025

Trial Court

Plaintiffs' Suggestions in Support of Their Preliminary Injunction Motion

02/10/2025

Trial Court

Verified complaint, demand for jury trial

02/07/2025

Case Profile