Supreme Court puts off review of case involving anti-gay marriage Christian baker
The US Supreme Court has put off making a decision on whether to hear a case involving a Christian baker who refused a same-sex wedding.
The court has held over the decision twelve previous times, and some are speculating that it may not rule in the case at all.
Masterpiece Cakeshop in 2015 joined a list of businesses ordered not to discriminate against same-sex couples.
It comes after the business was sued by couple Charlie Craig and David Mullins, who were told by owner Jack Phillips in 2012 that he wouldn’t make a cake for them.
The baker cited his religious beliefs in the refusal.
Despite that Colorado in 2012 did not recognise or allow same-sex marriages, but did prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation.
The case went to the Supreme Court in September and has been listed for 14 conferences.
But the Supreme Court justices have so far only said that it would be relisted for the future.
The next Supreme Court conference is on Thursday.
But many are now speculating that one of the justices could be writing a dissent, denying review of the case.
Jordan Lorence, senior counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom, a law firm which is notoriously anti-LGBT, said it was a “great mystery” why the case has not been reviewed yet.
“They are purposefully holding it over for some reason that we don’t know,” Lorence said.
“That is very, very unusual, but I think it points out the importance of these right of conscience cases.”
The Christian bakery in Oregon that waged a court battle against anti-discrimination rules was earlier this year trying to avoid paying legal costs – despite donors giving them several times the full amount.
The owners of Sweet Cakes by Melissa came to national attention when they claimed it would be “sinful” to bake a wedding cake for a gay couple, launching a legal battle against the state’s equality laws.
After losing the long-running court case last year, bakers Melissa and Aaron Klein were ordered to pay $135,000 in costs and damages .
More than $400,000 was raised online after the anti-gay American Family Association (AFA) rallied its supporters to donate to Sweet Cakes to cover the fine.
But despite the hefty donations, the bakers are apparently trying to avoid paying the costs.
The US Supreme Court also failed to take up a case involving a trans teenager who was forced to use the bathroom corresponding with his ”
In early March it was announced that the Supreme Court would not go ahead with a planned hearing on transgender rights, in light of the Trump administration’s removal of key protections.
The teen, Gavin Grimm, later found out that he would not get a ruling in the case before his graduation.
