Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Elenis

On June 26, 2017, the same day that the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to take up Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, an attorney asked cake artist Jack Phillips to create a cake designed pink on the inside and blue on the outside, which the attorney said was to celebrate a gender transition from male to female. Jack declined the request because the custom cake would have expressed messages that conflict with his religious beliefs. Less than a month after the Supreme Court ruled for Jack in his first case, the state surprised him by finding probable cause to believe that Colorado law requires him to create the requested gender-transition cake.

In March 2019, the Colorado Civil Rights Commission dismissed the charges against Jack after new evidences surfaced showing the state’s ongoing hostility toward Jack and his faith.  

Case timeline

• June 2017: The same day the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to take up Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, an attorney asked Jack Phillips to create a cake designed pink on the inside and blue on the outside to celebrate the attorney’s gender transition from male to female. Jack declined the request because the custom cake would have expressed messages that conflict with his religious beliefs.
• July 2017: The attorney who requested the cake filed a complaint with the state of Colorado. The state held that complaint pending the outcome of Jack’s case at the Supreme Court.
• June 2018: The Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in favor of Jack in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission. Despite this ruling, later that month, the state of Colorado found probable cause to believe that Colorado law requires him to create the requested gender-transition cake.
• August 2018: ADF attorneys filed a federal lawsuit (Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Elenis) against Colorado for unjustly targeting Jack and sought a preliminary injunction pending the outcome of the lawsuit.
• October 2018: The Colorado Civil Rights Commission filed a formal complaint against Jack Phillips. ADF attorneys filed an amended complaint on Jack’s behalf.
• January 2019: Colorado filed a motion to dismiss ADF’s lawsuit, but the district judge denied that motion.
• March 2019: After new evidence emerged demonstrating Colorado’s continued hostility toward Jack Phillips and his faith, the Colorado Civil Rights Commission announced it would dismiss its charges against Jack, giving him his second victory over the State of Colorado.

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Colorado Came After Jack Phillips … Again – And Lost … Again