Supreme Court to hear Christian web designer’s case

The Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to take up a new clash between First Amendment liberties and a Colorado state discrimination law. The high court said it would review the case of Lorie Smith, a Denver-area designer who offers graphic and website design services and wants to expand to wedding websites.

What is the case about? Smith says her Biblical beliefs about marriage would lead her to decline any request from a same-sex couple to design a wedding website. She also wants to post a statement on her website about her beliefs. Doing those things, however, would violate a Colorado anti-discrimination law that the state attorney general argues requires businesses to serve LGBT couples. Smith’s lawyers claim the law has been weaponized against dissenting views and creates a clear violation of First Amendment free speech and religious rights. The Supreme Court plans to examine only whether a law that requires an artist to speak a particular message or stay silent violates the free speech clause of the First Amendment. The court is expected to hear arguments in the fall.

Dig deeper: Read Steve West’s report in Liberties about Colorado-based baker Jack Phillips returning to court to defend his religious liberty.