A Supreme Court decision is being called a win for religious freedom over the case of Christian bakers in Oregon.
As Metro Voice has reported for years about the Kleins, two Oregon bakers who were fined for refusing to make a cake for a gay commitment ceremony.
The case involves bakers Melissa and Aaron Klein who were punished with a $135,000 fine for declining to create a same-sex wedding cake in 2013.
The legal fight over the case went up to the high court on Monday where the justices threw out a previous state court ruling against the Kleins, sending the case back down to that court in Oregon.
The justices say the state court needs to reconsider the case of the Christian bakers in light of last year’s Supreme Court ruling in favor of a Colorado baker who refused to make a cake for a same-sex wedding. The court had ruled that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission showed anti-religious bias against Christian baker Jack Phillips.
The Oregon appellate court ruling came before the high court’s decision in the Phillips’ case.
Kelley Shackelford, president, CEO, and chief counsel of First Liberty Institute, the non-profit law group which represented the Kleins, called Monday’s Supreme Court decision “a victory for the religious liberty of all Americans.”
“This is a victory for Aaron and Melissa Klein and for religious liberty for all Americans,” Shackelford said. “The Constitution protects speech, popular or not, from condemnation by the government. The message from the Court is clear, government hostility toward religious Americans will not be tolerated.”
Another dispute involving a florist from Washington state who would not create flower arrangements for a same-sex wedding is also headed to the Supreme Court.