On Tuesday, April 22, 2025, the Maine Wire reported that U.S. Magistrate Judge John Nivison recused himself from a federal lawsuit against the state of Maine. This lawsuit stems from the state’s refusal to prohibit transgender-identifying men from participating in women’s sports. The recusal follows Nivison’s earlier withdrawal from a related case involving Representative Laurel Libby (R-Auburn) concerning her censure.
The lawsuit was initiated by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), which filed a civil Title IX antidiscrimination claim against Maine. This action came after Maine’s continued noncompliance with an executive order from President Donald Trump, which mandated that schools protect girls’ spaces—such as restrooms, locker rooms, and sports—from transgender-identifying men.
Judge Nivison was assigned to oversee the federal case but stepped down without providing a public reason. This decision marks his second recusal in recent weeks, having previously withdrawn from Libby’s case in March. In that matter, Libby was censured by House Speaker Ryan Fecteau (D-Biddeford) and barred from voting and speaking on the House floor after she shared a social media post featuring a transgender athlete celebrating a victory in a girls’ competition.
The controversy surrounding Libby’s post gained national attention and ultimately led to the federal lawsuit against Maine. Initial plans had placed Libby’s case within the purview of the federal court in Maine; however, all federal district judges in the state recused themselves from the matter, a move that has drawn scrutiny. Reports suggest that a potential conflict of interest may have influenced these recusal decisions, as one of the parents of the depicted transgender athlete is an employee of the court.
Following Nivison’s recusal, the federal lawsuit was reassigned to Judge Stacey D. Neumann. However, she too had previously recused herself from Libby’s case, raising concerns about similar conflicts of interest in her handling of the DOJ lawsuit.
