A federal judge issued rulings Friday in two separate cases involving National Parks Service policies and personnel decisions under recent administrative changes.

In a Massachusetts federal court, a judge ordered the Trump administration to reinstall displays that were removed from National Parks sites over the past year. The removed materials included exhibits related to diversity, equity and inclusion content and climate change information. A group of park advocacy organizations had sued the Interior Department and National Park Service, arguing the removals constituted censorship of educational materials at parks across the country.

Separately, a federal judge ruled that she lacks authority to reinstate Shannon "SJ" Joslin, a Yosemite National Park ranger who was terminated for displaying a transgender pride flag at the El Capitan rock formation. Joslin had unfurled the flag during their time off duty last year. The judge's decision focused on jurisdictional authority rather than addressing Joslin's underlying claim that the firing selectively targeted them for speech protected by the First Amendment.

The cases reflect broader tensions over content and expression policies within the National Parks Service. The exhibit removal case centered on materials that had been taken down from various park sites, while the ranger termination involved an individual employee's display of a pride flag at one of Yosemite's most prominent geological features.

Both cases involved challenges to recent policy changes affecting how the National Parks Service handles displays, exhibits, and employee expression. The Massachusetts ruling requires restoration of the removed park exhibits, while the California case leaves the ranger's termination in place due to the court's determination that it lacks jurisdiction to order reinstatement.