Judge Blocks DAR From Disbanding Texas Chapter That Limits Membership to Biological Women

A judge in Texas has ordered the national leadership of the Daughters of the American Revolution not to disband one of its local chapters, at least for now. The temporary restraining order protects the Martha Laird chapter, which is 84 years old and limits its membership to biological women. The news came through the legal advocacy group that represents the chapter, and the order stays in place while the underlying lawsuit continues.

The dispute began in early October. The national organization's leadership voted to disband the chapter, citing violations of its national bylaws. The chapter had fought to keep transgender women, described in the source as biological men who identify as women, out of its membership. It then sued the national organization, with the Heritage Foundation's Legal Action Center as its counsel.

Lea Patterson, senior litigation counsel at Heritage, called the order an important victory for the chapter and for the women who stood up for the principle that a women's organization should be for women. She said national leadership had tried to silence the members by disbanding the chapter, and that the court had stepped in to protect it while the fight goes on.

Patterson went further in her criticism. She said DAR headquarters tried to punish members for speaking out, shut down legitimate debate, and strip the chapter of its assets without a fair process. In her account, the women followed DAR's own procedures to advocate for change, and they deserve to be heard rather than punished for their convictions.

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution confirmed to Fox News Digital that it voted to disband the chapter, but it rejected the idea that membership views drove the decision. It said it stands by the October 10, 2026 decision of its National Board of Management, made under authority set out in the national bylaws. According to the organization, the decision rested on the chapter's use of the DAR name, and of its official leadership, communications and governance processes, to promote the objectives of a separate advocacy organization. It said the decision was not based on the personal views or advocacy of individual members.

The organization also stressed the limits of the court's action. In its statement, the temporary restraining order does not determine whether the National Board's decision was valid. DAR said it is complying with the order and remains confident that the board acted within its authority and that the decision will hold up under judicial review. It did not respond to a further request for comment about its claim regarding the separate advocacy organization, so the source gives no detail on which group that is or what activity is alleged.

Fox News Digital also spoke with Mary Marslender, a political strategist and former senior Senate advisor, who said the judge's ruling was proper. She argued that the DAR should be for women, not men, and that changing a label does not change biological reality. She said organizations created by and for women should not be pressured to ignore basic facts, and she applauded the judge for halting what she called a misguided effort to undermine a historic women's group.

The two sides therefore describe the same vote in different terms. The chapter says it was punished over membership and speech. The national body says it was acting on bylaws over the misuse of the DAR name and structures. The restraining order settles neither point. The next stage is the case over the National Board's authority under its bylaws, which is headed toward judicial review.