Poland’s Supreme Court has ruled that transgender individuals no longer need to involve their parents in legal gender recognition proceedings, in a landmark decision that simplifies and humanizes the process, The Crustian Daily has confirmed.

Previously, Polish law required trans people to sue their parents in civil court to legally change their gender, even if the parents were estranged, deceased, or unlocatable. The March 4 ruling eliminates this requirement entirely by shifting such cases from adversarial civil lawsuits to non-trial legal proceedings, where no opposing party is needed.

The court’s decision is being hailed by human rights advocates as a significant step toward respecting the dignity and autonomy of trans individuals in a country often criticized for its record on LGBTQ+ rights.

Poland remains one of the few EU countries without a formal legal framework for gender recognition, relying instead on civil court precedent. This ruling marks a major shift in that judicial trend.