# Declaratory Judgment + $275K in Attorney Fees in Settlement of N.H. “XX” Wristbands Case

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/declaratory-judgment-275k-in-attorney-fees-in-settlement-of-n-h-xx-wristbands-case/
- Published: 2026-11-05T16:30:27+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-05T18:11:50+00:00
- Original publisher: Reason (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://reason.com/volokh/2026/11/05/declaratory-judgment-275k-in-attorney-fees-in-settlement-of-n-h-xx-wristbands-case/
- Topics: Politics

## Key points

- Bow schools agreed the wristband ban violated spectators’ rights.
- The settlement includes $275,000 in legal fees and costs.
- A court judgment protects wearing the wristbands at district sporting events.

## Summary

The Bow School District in New Hampshire has agreed to a judgment declaring that it violated the First Amendment rights of spectators who were barred from wearing pink “XX” wristbands at a girls’ football match. The settlement follows more than two years of litigation and provides $275,000 in legal fees and costs.

The wristbands were worn in September 2024 to protest a policy allowing a transgender girl to compete on the opposing team. Officials told the spectators to remove them or leave; play was stopped until one did, and two were later issued trespass orders. In August 2026, the First Circuit found the plaintiffs likely to succeed on their claim that the district discriminated by viewpoint, saying the passive protest fell short of harassment or disruption. The judgment protects the right to wear the wristbands at district sporting events, including on sidelines, in spectator areas or in car parks.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.