US Supreme Court to take up case against anti-gay Christian baker
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The US Supreme Court has agreed to take up a case against a Christian baker which refused to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding.
Earlier this year the highest court in the US put off taking up the case having held over the decision twelve previous times.
But despite speculation that the court would not take up the case, it has agreed to hear it next term.
This comes on the same day that the court protected the rights of same-sex parents to be named on their children’s birth certificates.
Masterpiece Cakeshop in 2015 joined a list of businesses ordered not to discriminate against same-sex couples.
It came 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.
Earlier this year, 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.
