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On May 30, 2014, the Colorado Civil Rights Commission determined that Masterpiece Cakeshop unlawfully discriminated against David Mullins and Charlie Craig by refusing to sell them a wedding cake
David Mullins and Charlie Craig visited Masterpiece Cakeshop in July 2012, with Craig's mother, to order a cake for their upcoming wedding reception. Mullins and Craig planned to marry in Massachusetts and then celebrate with family and friends back home in Colorado. Masterpiece owner Jack Phillips informed them that because of his religious beliefs the store’s policy was to deny service to customers who wished to order baked goods to celebrate a same-sex couple’s wedding.
ACLU blogs and commentary:
- “A Wedding Cake For Fido & Fluffy But Not For Dave & Charlie?,” by Kiela Parks, ACLU of Colorado, June 4, 2013
- “In Colorado, Freedom should mean freedom for everyone,” by Charlie Craig, May 29, 2014
- “Half-baked complaint alleges discrimination where there is none,” by Amanda Goad, ACLU LGBT Project, January 23, 2015
- “A tale of two cakes: the real truth about Colorado’s cake wars,” by Nathan Woodliff-Stanley, Executive Director, ACLU of Colorado, April 9, 2015
- “Can businesses turn LGBT people away because of who they are? That’s up to the Supreme Court now,” by James Esseks, Director, ACLU LGBT & HIV Project, June 28, 2017
- “President Trump and Attorney General Sessions want to enshrine a business right to discriminate into the Constitution,” by James Esseks, Director, ACLU LGBT & HIV Project, September 11, 2017
- “The Masterpiece Cakeshop case: what you need to know,” Ria Tabacco Mar, October 24, 2017
- “In Masterpiece, the Bakery Wins the Battle but Loses the War,” by James Esseks, Director, ACLU LGBTQ & HIV Project, June 4, 2018
- “I represented the wedding cake couple. We lost a battle but won the war.,” By David Cole, ACLU National Legal Director, Washington Post Guest Opinion, June 4, 2018
ACLU news releases:
- “Hearing tomorrow in case of gay couple discriminated against by bakery,” ACLU News Release, May 29, 2014
- “Colorado Civil Rights Commission finds bakery discriminated against gay couple,” ACLU News Release, May 30, 2014
- “Masterpiece Cakeshop violated civil righs law by turning away gay couple, court rules,” ACLU News Release, August 13, 2015
- “State appeals court hears arguments in case of gay couple discriminated against by bakery,” ACLU News Release, July 7, 2015
- “Colorado Supreme Court refuses to hear case of bakery that turned away gay couple,” ACLU News Release, April 25, 2016
- “Supreme Court will hear Masterpiece Cakeshop discrimination case,” ACLU News Release, June 26, 2017
- “ACLU files brief at Supreme Court arguing that businesses open to public cannot discrminate against customers,” ACLU News Release, October 23, 2017
- “Business, Civil Rights, and Legal Voices File Briefs in Supreme Court, Defending Rights of Same-Sex Couple Discriminated Against by Business,” ACLU News Release, October 30, 2017
- “Supreme Court Hears Arguments in Case That Will Decide the Future of Anti-Discrimination Law,” ACLU News Release, December 5, 2017
- “Civil Rights Champions Call for a Decision for Equal Dignity under Law at the Supreme Court,” ACLU News Release, November 29, 2017
- “Supreme Court Upholds Basic Principles of Nondiscrimination, Reverses Colorado Civil Rights Commission Decision,” ACLU News Release, June 4, 2018
ACLU case number
2012-25
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