Child psychiatry · testified for the side defending the laws
Across his 2023-2025 reports, rebuttal report, and deposition/trial testimony in Dekker v. Weida, Boe v. Marshall, and Keohane v. Dixon, Kaliebe consistently argues that the recent surge in adolescent gender dysphoria (especially in natal females) is substantially driven by ideology and social/media contagion rather than a simple rise in a preexisting condition, and that the evidence base for pediatric medical transition is low-quality and unsettled. He argues that AAP, AACAP, APA, the Endocrine Society, and WPATH/USPATH have abandoned scientific neutrality for advocacy, and, drawing on internal WPATH/USPATH documents obtained in discovery, that these organizations have censured or 'muzzled' members and outside researchers (Zucker, Anderson, Littman) who raised concerns. He recommends psychotherapy addressing comorbid conditions (depression, anxiety, trauma, autism, borderline personality disorder) over automatic affirmation or medical transition, rejects terms like 'sex assigned at birth' as ideologically distorting biological fact, and cites UK/Finnish/Swedish systematic reviews and WHO statements as vindicating caution. Much of his report language is reused nearly verbatim across cases. Under oath he has repeatedly conceded he has never conducted original research on gender dysphoria or transgender people, has not personally provided hormonal or surgical treatment for gender dysphoria, and that several of the polls and press releases he cites in his reports are non-scientific and merely reflect the views of small, non-representative audiences.
Cases and documents
The documents are listed as the archive holds them. A document labeled with its kind alone, such as "Expert report", is one the archive attributes to the expert. One labeled "Mentions or contains" names the expert or includes the expert's testimony, and is not attributed to the expert.
Mentions or contains: declaration: ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD by CHRISTOPHER A. BINA, PAMELA J. BONDI, DANA R. DIGIACOMO, WILLIAM W. LOTHROP, SHANE SALEM, DONALD J. TRUMP. (Layendecker, Elizabeth) Open↗(opens another site) · In the case's documents
Each ruling that discusses his testimony, by what it did for the side that called him. The counts are the profile's own, for the rulings it lists.
Helped the side that called him: 0Credited against the side that called him: 0Discounted, criticized or limited: 1Neither: 2
2025
A.C. v. Metropolitan School District of Martinsville
NeitherLimited
U.S. District Court, S.D. Indiana · summary judgment · court order
His role: retained by defendant (Metropolitan School District of Martinsville) as a proposed expert; School District outlined his background as a board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist
Ruling on plaintiff's motion for partial summary judgment on liability. The court declined to consider Dr. Kaliebe's opinions in deciding liability, finding them relevant only to damages, which was not being decided at this stage; it denied plaintiff's request to strike his report as moot on that basis. The court also granted plaintiff summary judgment and a permanent injunction on the Title IX and Equal Protection claims.
“the Court finds that Dr. Kaliebe's opinions are not material to determining liability; instead, Dr. Kaliebe's opinion are relevant to damages which is not being assessed at this stage.”
“the Court will not consider Dr. Kaliebe's opinions in determining whether summary judgment is appropriate on the issue of liability, and A.C.'s request to strike Dr. Kaliebe's expert report is denied as moot.”
A.C. v. Metropolitan School District of Martinsville
NeitherExcluded
U.S. District Court, S.D. Indiana · Daubert / motion to exclude expert testimony (pre-trial, post-summary judgment) · court order
His role: retained by defendant (Metropolitan School District of Martinsville) to testify at the damages trial
The court granted plaintiff's motion to exclude Dr. Kaliebe's trial testimony. It did not reach his qualifications or reliability, resolving the motion on relevance alone: because the court had already granted a permanent injunction, the merits of the permanent-injunction request (the only issue his testimony was tied to) were no longer before the jury at the remaining damages-only trial.
“Dr. Kaliebe's qualifications and reliability of testimony aside, the School District fails to demonstrate how Dr. Kaliebe's testimony is relevant beyond addressing the elements”
“Given the Court's granting of the permanent injunction, the merits of the permanent injunction request are no longer an issue for trial. Therefore, Dr. Kaliebe's proposed testimony is no longer relevant and A.C.'s Motion is granted.”
Discounted, criticized or limitedGiven little weight
U.S. District Court, D.D.C. · preliminary injunction · court order
His role: retained by the government (DOJ / Bureau of Prisons) as its "psychiatric expert" to support a Bureau of Prisons policy statement restricting gender-affirming care for federal inmates
In granting plaintiffs' motion for a preliminary injunction against a BOP policy statement restricting gender-affirming care, the court found the government's evidentiary case -- resting principally on Dr. Kaliebe's declaration -- far less persuasive than plaintiffs' experts, citing his limited clinical experience treating gender dysphoria and his deposition admission that no evidence supports psychotherapy as an efficacious treatment for the condition. The court described plaintiffs' experts as the "clear winner" of the parties' competing expert evidence.
“There is, however, a clear winner in the battle of the experts. Only Plaintiffs have put forward evidence attested to by medical professionals with meaningful experience treating people with gender dysphoria.”
Not in the archive: Several rulings the documents refer to are not among these files: (1) A.C. v. MSD Martinsville -- the separate Permanent Injunction order (Filing No. 177) referenced in both orders/101162-105745 and orders/101165, and the outcome of the School District's interlocutory appeal of the summary-judgment/injunction rulings (mentioned in orders/101165 as pending). (2) Boe v. Marshall -- the parties' underlying motions and the court's actual ruling on Plaintiffs' Motion to Exclude Dr. Kaliebe's testimony (the motion itself is reports/112078 [Dekker v. Weida, not Boe -- see note below] and the opposition is reports/102322/107499); no order resolving that motion is in this file set. (3) Dekker v. Weida -- reports/112078 (Motion in Limine) and reports/112079 (supporting memorandum) ask the court to partially exclude Dr. Kaliebe's testimony at trial; no ruling on that motion is in this file set.
Cases and roles
Case
Years
Arena
Retained by
What he filed
Boe v. Marshall
U.S. District Court, M.D. Alabama, Case No. 2:22-cv-00184-LCB-CWB
2024
youth care ban
Defendants (State of Alabama officials) via defense counsel
U.S. District Court, District of Columbia, Case No. 1:25-cv-00691-RCL
2026
prison
Federal government / Department of Justice (Bureau of Prisons), per the court's opinion; his deposition text actually comes from a different case (Keohane v. Dixon, N.D. Fla., submitted as an exhibit here)
Also named in these cases' filings, though the archive holds no testimony of his attributed to them: DOE v. LADAPO.
Typical stance
Social contagion / Rapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria
Argues the recent rise in adolescents (particularly natal females) presenting with gender dysphoria is best explained by a spread of ideology combined with technologically induced social contagion, rather than a straightforward increase in a preexisting condition.
“Significant evidence points to a spread of ideology combined with technologically induced contagion effects associated with the recent increase in gender dysphoria.”
“Significant evidence points to a spread of ideology combined with technologically induced contagion effects leading the recent increase in gender dysphoria.”
Politicization of professional medical organizations
Contends that the American Academy of Pediatrics, AACAP, the American Psychiatric Association, and the Endocrine Society have endorsed 'gender-affirming care' as settled fact and thereby ceased to be scientifically neutral, instead functioning as advocacy organizations.
“As American medical professional organizations have already endorsed the concept of so-called affirmative care as evidence-based and ethical, they are no longer neutral with regard to the science and have instead entered advocacy roles.”
“As American medical professional organizations have already endorsed the concept of affirmative care as evidence-based and ethical, they are no longer neutral with regards to the science and have instead entered into advocacy roles.”
WPATH/USPATH ideological conformity and suppression of dissent
Based on internal WPATH/USPATH documents obtained in discovery, argues WPATH is a self-selected special-interest group that censures its own members and outside researchers who question 'gender-affirming care,' and that its Standards of Care 8 reflect that bias rather than rigorous evidence review.
“WPATH has developed dogmas, taboos, and orthodoxies that favor transitioning and oppose barriers limiting access to transitioning treatments.”
Historical analogy to medical overtreatment episodes
Situates pediatric gender-affirming care within a history of medical fads (frontal lobotomy, eugenic sterilization, opioid over-prescribing) that were later recognized as harmful overtreatment driven by good intentions and financial incentive rather than solid evidence.
“The medical system has a long history of spurts of overdiagnosis and overtreatment.”
“Claims of medical necessity for hormones and surgeries for minors can be refuted by the fact that all cohorts of previous children and adolescent throughout human history have never “needed” these procedures.”
Treat comorbidities and use psychotherapy before medical transition
Maintains that gender dysphoria typically co-occurs with (and often follows) depression, anxiety, trauma, autism, or borderline personality disorder, and that psychotherapy addressing those conditions -- not automatic affirmation or medical transition -- should be tried first, especially in complex subpopulations like autistic youth.
“There is not an evidence base to support strictly “affirmative” psychotherapy for gender dysphoria, where therapists actively agree with a patient’s self-assessment.”
Rejection of affirming terminology / insistence on biological sex as fact
In rebutting a plaintiffs' expert, rejects phrases such as 'sex assigned at birth' as scientifically misleading, arguing biological sex is an observable fact rather than something clinicians 'assign,' and disputes claims that gender identity has a settled, innate biological basis.
“This misleading phrase distorts scientific reality by making the claim that biological sex can be “assigned”.”
Selective use of adolescent-brain-immaturity arguments
Argues that AACAP and the American Psychological Association inconsistently invoke adolescent brain immaturity to argue against culpability in criminal sentencing while treating minors as capable of informed consent to irreversible hormonal and surgical gender treatments.
Seen in: Boe v. Marshall
International reviews and WHO statements validate a cautious approach
Points to systematic reviews and policy shifts by health authorities in the UK, Finland, and Sweden, and a 2024 WHO statement, as evidence that the U.S. medical establishment and WPATH overstate the strength of evidence for pediatric medical transition relative to more cautious peer nations.
“As multiple countries who have undertaken thoughtful reviews are realizing harms associated with gender affirming care, they are turning away from the approach suggested by WPATH SOC 8.”
2023 (Dekker v. Weida, N.D. Fla., doc_ids 111963/112087): initial report and rebuttal report lay out the core framework -- rarity of historical gender dysphoria, low-quality evidence, social-contagion hypothesis, and rejection of 'sex assigned at birth' framing -- largely as general commentary on the literature and medical organizations. His March 2023 deposition (doc_id 112086) already shows him conceding he has done no original research on the topic and has not personally treated gender dysphoria with hormones or surgery. 2024 (Boe v. Marshall, M.D. Ala., doc_ids 101954/101955): the initial report reissues large stretches of the Dekker report almost verbatim (see reused_text) while adding new material, including an inconsistency argument built on AACAP's and the APA's adolescent-brain-immaturity positions in criminal sentencing cases (Miller v. Alabama). The May 2024 supplemental report marks a shift in evidentiary basis: rather than general critique, it relies on internal WPATH and HHS documents obtained in discovery to argue specifically that WPATH suppressed dissenting members (Zucker, Anderson, Littman) and that HHS knew the evidence was weak but promoted 'gender-affirming care' anyway. 2025 (Keohane v. Dixon deposition, excerpted in Kingdom v. Trump, D.D.C., doc_id 117847, taken Dec. 15, 2025): by this point he has become a co-author of a federal HHS report on gender dysphoria and of a peer-reviewed article ('Obstacles to Progress in Pediatric Gender Medicine'), reflecting a larger institutional role. Yet on direct questioning he still affirms he has conducted no original research on gender dysphoria or transgender people and estimates having treated only about 30 gender-dysphoric patients total across his career -- so his stated positions and the depth of his direct clinical/research base on the specific topic have remained essentially unchanged even as his public and institutional profile on the issue has grown.
Under cross-examination
His own answers in depositions.
Gender dysphoria as a condition · Dekker v. Weida
Question (paraphrased): Asked whether he agrees that gender dysphoria is a very real condition
Question (paraphrased): Pressed on whether he was citing any studies documenting social contagion specifically in gender dysphoria, as opposed to reasoning by analogy from other conditions.
“We are all hypothesizing, obviously. We've never had a major social change like this go on. We are not going to have any clear one source.”
Question (paraphrased): Asked to agree that all the survey and poll he cited tell us is the views of the attendees of that particular seminar (he then agreed again)
Question (paraphrased): Asked to confirm that a press release from the French National Academy of Medicine, which he cited in his report, is not peer-reviewed or scientific literature.
Sentences that appear word for word in his filings in different cases.
“The medical system has a long history of spurts of overdiagnosis and overtreatment.” in 2 documents: 101954, 111963
“Autistic people experiencing gender dysphoria are a complex patient cohort.” in 2 documents: 101954, 111963
“There is not an evidence base to support strictly “affirmative” psychotherapy for gender dysphoria, where therapists actively agree with a patient’s self-assessment.” in 2 documents: 101954, 111963
“Open inquiry is the ability to ask questions and share ideas without risk of censure.” in 2 documents: 101954, 111963
“Discuss the argument, rather than the person making the argument.” in 2 documents: 101954, 111963
“I am an associate professor at the University of South Florida in Tampa Florida.” in 2 documents: 101954, 111963
Curriculum vitae
Current positions
Associate/full professor of psychiatry at the University of South Florida (promoted to full professor effective July 1, 2023); clinical roles include juvenile corrections, the Florida Medicaid Psychiatric Medication hotline, a university child/adolescent psychiatry clinic, an adult psychiatry resident clinic, and on-call coverage at Tampa General Hospital; also practices forensic psychiatry in criminal and civil court. source
“Since 2016, I have been Associate Professor at the University of South Florida, where my clinical roles mainly include working with juvenile corrections and supporting primary care physicians through the Florida Medicaid Psychiatric Medication hotline.”
Board certified in Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Forensic Psychiatry. source
“I am Board Certified in Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Forensic Psychiatry.”
Supervising physician at USF's Silver Child Development Center and Outpatient Psychiatry Center, where he evaluates and treats pediatric and adult patients with gender dysphoria while supervising residents. source
“In this clinic I evaluate and treat pediatric patients with gender dysphoria.”
Education and training
M.D., St. George's University School of Medicine, Grenada, West Indies (Jan 1995-June 1999). source
“St. George’s University
School of Medicine, Grenada, West Indies”
B.A. in Biochemistry, Columbia College, Columbia University (Sept 1988-May 1992). source
“Undergraduate: Columbia College,
Columbia University
New York, NY,
Bachelor of Arts, Biochemistry”
Internship and psychiatry residency (PGY1-3), University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Medical School, 1999-2002. source
“Resident, Psychiatry (PGY 2-3)
University of Medicine and Dentistry-
New Jersey Medical School”
Fellowships in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (2002-2004) and Forensic Psychiatry (2004-2005), Louisiana State University Medical Center; served as Chief Resident in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 2003-2004. source
“Fellow, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (PGY 4-5)
Louisiana State University Medical Center”
Diplomate, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology: General Psychiatry (2004), Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (2005), Forensic Psychiatry (2007), all listed as active as of the 2023 CV. source
“Diplomate, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology:”
Past positions and roles
Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, LSU Health Science Center - New Orleans, 2005-2016 (Associate Professor 2016-2017); program director of the LSU Child Psychiatry Fellowship for two years. source
“I was the program director of the LSU Child Psychiatry Fellowship for 2 years.”
Facility psychiatrist across multiple Florida and Louisiana juvenile correctional/residential facilities (Tampa Residential Facility, Les Peters Academy, Charles Britt Academy, Columbus Youth Academy, 2016-present in part; Louisiana Juvenile Justice System 2005-2016 and back-up 2016-2022) and Orleans Parish Justice System (2018) and New Orleans Adolescent Hospital / VA Medical Center on-call psychiatrist roles (1999-2005). source
“Performed psychiatric evaluations and treatment in Florida’s juvenile correctional
system. Tampa”
Mental Health Medical Director, St. Charles Community Health Center (Federally Qualified Health Center), Luling, Louisiana, and Coordinator for Child and Adolescent Integrated Mental and Behavioral Health Services for the Louisiana Mental and Behavioral Health Capacity Project, 2012-2017. source
“Mental Health Medical Director, St. Charles Community Health Center, Luling,
Louisiana”
Co-chair of the Media Committee of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), 2013-2021; liaison from AACAP to the American Academy of Pediatrics, 2016-2022; Distinguished Fellow of AACAP since 2016. source
“I served as co-chair of the Media Committee from 2013-2021, and was an author on the AACAP’s
clinical practice guidelines for telepsychiatry.”
Clinical practice
Self-described clinical volume with gender-dysphoric patients is limited: as of his December 2025 deposition in a separate case (Keohane v. Dixon), he estimated about 30 total patients with gender dysphoria across his career (a mix of pediatric and adult, with roughly six to eight being 18 or older), against a career total estimate of roughly 10,000-20,000 patients of all kinds. source
“that would probably be -- I mean, 30 I think would”
Career patient volume estimate under cross-examination (all conditions, not gender-dysphoria specific). source
“definitely over 10,000 patients.”
Under cross-examination, acknowledged there is no evidence establishing psychotherapy's efficacy at reducing gender dysphoria, while noting evidence on social transition is also limited; this is an answer given during a deposition, not an unqualified assertion in his reports. source
“Uh-huh.· Yes.· But there's also very”
Describes his gender-dysphoria-related clinical work as occurring within general university psychiatry clinics and the juvenile-corrections system rather than a specialized gender clinic, with residents as primary evaluators and himself as supervising/attending physician of record. source
“I oversee the residents’ work
product and function as the physician of record.”
Publications and research
Co-edited a 2018 special issue of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America on youth internet habits and mental health, with 16 chapters by invited experts. source
“With Paul
Weigle, I co-edited the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America Youth Internet
Habits and Mental Health edition in 2018.”
Selected authored/co-authored works per his CV and reports include: Kaliebe & Sondheimer (2002) on media and psychiatry; Kaliebe (2016, 2017) on psychiatric collaboration/integration in Federally Qualified Health Centers; Gerwin, Kaliebe & Daigle (2018) on digital media use; Kaliebe & Weigle (2018), 'Child Psychiatry in the Age of the Internet'; Weigle, Kaliebe et al. (2021) chapter on digital topics; Tamburello, Penn, Negron-Munoz & Kaliebe (2023) on prescribing psychotropics (correctional setting); Kiss/Kass & Kaliebe on stress and inflammation in major depression. source
“Kaliebe, K., & Weigle, P. (2018). Child Psychiatry in the Age of the Internet.”
Reports having presented at the AACAP annual conference roughly 25 times since 2004, mostly on media/technology topics, and having served as a peer reviewer for journals. source
“I first presented regarding media at
the 2004 AACAP annual conference, and have now presented at the annual conference 25 times.”
Licenses, boards, honors
Medical licenses: Louisiana (listed as expiring Dec 31, 2022) and Florida (listed as expiring Jan 31, 2024) in the 2023 CV attached to his Dekker v. Weida report; Federal DEA Controlled Substances License; ECFMG Certificate. source
“Louisiana State Medical License, expires December 31st, 2022”
Board certifications: General Psychiatry (2004), Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (2005), Forensic Psychiatry (2007) via the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. source
Honors include: VA Special Contribution Award for Clinical Service in Psychiatry (2002); Outstanding Resident Award, AACAP (2003); Fellow, LSU Academy for the Advancement of Educational Scholarship (2007-2016); Best Doctors listings in Louisiana (2007-2016) and Tampa (2017-2022); Distinguished Fellow of AACAP (2016). source
“Awarded status as a Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Child and
Adolescent Psychiatry”
Professional society memberships: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, American Psychiatric Association. source
“I am a member of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the
American Academy of Psychiatry, and the Law and the American Psychiatric Association.”
August Dekker et al. v. Simone Marstiller et al. (later Dekker v. Weida) 2023 · deposition and trial
Boe v. Marshall 2024 · report and supplemental report (retained by defense)
Keohane v. Dixon (N.D. Fla., 4:24-cv-00434) — not in the case index but the source of testimony used in Kingdom v. Trump 2025 · deposition
and 8 other matters he lists that are not in the litigation archive.
Sources and method
Built from the litigation archive: 3 excerpts of opinions and oral arguments and 6 court documents that name him, and 20 filings of his own. Every mention was checked for identity (0 mentions of other people with the same surname were set aside). Every quote on this page (52) was checked word for word against its source; 2 that did not match were left out. Profile version 1. Gaps: No local document text exists for DOE v. LADAPO (doc_ids 103487, 103488 are in the payload index but have no reports/ or orders/.txt file), so his role, court, retained-by party, and arena in that case are not established from these files. In Kingdom v. Trump, the deposition transcript filed as evidence was actually taken in a separate case, Keohane v. Dixon (N.D. Fla., 4:24-cv-00434), which is not in the five-case index; his role there beyond that one transcript is not established. The full text of his declaration/statement-of-facts filings in Kingdom v. Trump (doc_ids 117810, 117822, 117823, 117863, 117902) was not present as separate readable files in reports/; characterizations of those documents rely on the court's Memorandum & Opinion quoting/paraphrasing them, not on reading the declarations directly. Compensation rate is documented only for Boe v. Marshall and Dekker v. Weida ($400/hour in both); no rate is stated in the available Kingdom v. Trump or A.C. v. Martinsville materials. The self-reported testimony list in his 2024 Boe v. Marshall report explicitly covers only 'the past four years' (i.e., prior testimony before 2024), so it does not include Kingdom v. Trump or any Martinsville testimony, and there may be additional pre-2020 or 2024-2026 engagements not captured in these files. His CV's clinical narrative (large USF/LSU/juvenile-corrections career) contrasts with his deposition-admitted low volume of gender-dysphoria-specific patients (~30 total, ~6-8 adults) — both are accurately sourced but describe different things (overall career vs. gender-dysphoria caseload) and should not be conflated.