Judge issues order protecting Daughters of American Revolution chapter that only allows biological women

A judge has temporarily stopped the national leadership of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) from disbanding its 84-year-old Martha Laird chapter in Texas. The chapter is suing the national organisation after it sought to restrict membership to biological women; the order keeps the chapter in place while the legal dispute continues.

DAR says it voted to disband the chapter on 10 October 2026 because it used the organisation’s name, leadership and governance processes to promote a separate advocacy group, not because of members’ views on eligibility. The judge’s order does not decide whether that decision was valid. DAR says it is complying with the order and believes its action will withstand judicial review, while the Heritage Foundation’s Legal Action Center, which represents the chapter, welcomed the ruling.