Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission

Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop (defendant), refused on sincere religious grounds to create a wedding cake for Charlie Craig and Dave Mullins's (plaintiffs) same-sex wedding, though he offered to sell them a generic cake instead; the couple complained to the Colorado Civil Rights Commission (defendant), which ultimately ruled against Phillips for violating the state's sexual-orientation antidiscrimination law. Around the same time, the commission let three other bakers refuse to create cakes expressing William Jack's religious opposition to same-sex marriage, and in the final stage of Phillips's proceedings, several commissioners made comments implying religious objections should never justify withholding public business services, with one disparaging religion's historical role in supporting discrimination and genocide. The Colorado Court of Appeals affirmed the commission's ruling against Phillips, distinguishing the other bakers' cases on the ground the commission found Jack's requested message offensive; the state supreme court declined review, and Phillips appealed.