The legal nightmare appears to be over for a Colorado cake artist after the State of Colorado dismissed its case against him today. For the past six years, Masterpiece Cakeshop owner Jack Phillips, and his attorneys with Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), have fought for his religious freedom, as the State of Colorado attempted to force him to create cakes that went against his Christian beliefs. Now, according to an announcement released by ADF, it looks like Colorado will cease its hostility “six years, one U.S. Supreme Court ruling, and a second lawsuit later.”
The following is a timeline of major developments in Jack’s cases over the past six years:
- July 2012 – Jack Phillips declines to make a wedding cake for a same-sex ceremony. The couple files a complaint with the Colorado Civil Rights Division.
- December 2013 – The Colorado Administrative Law Court rules against Jack and says he is guilty of discrimination.
- July 2014 – Jack appeals the Administrative Law Court ruling.
- August 2015 – The Colorado Court of Appeals rules against Jack and upholds the Administrative Law Court ruling.
- April 2016 – The Colorado Supreme Court declines to hear Jack’s case.
- July 2017 – The U.S. Supreme Court agrees to hear Jack’s case.
- September 2017 – NC Family signs on to a “friend-of-the-court” brief filed with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of Jack and religious freedom rights.
- November 2017 – The U.S. Supreme Court hears Jack’s case in Masterpiece Cake Shop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission. NC Family takes a delegation up to D.C. on the day of the hearing in support of Jack.
- June 2018 – The U.S. Supreme Court rules 7-2 in Jack’s favor.
- August 2018 – The government of Colorado moves forward with a new discrimination complaint for Jack’s refusal to create a cake celebrating a sex change. ADF files suit against the Colorado Civil Rights Commission for its “state sponsored bullying.”
- January 2019 – A federal district court rules that Jack and ADF can proceed in their lawsuit against the Commission as evidence of unequal treatment by the government against Jack continues to exist.
- March 2019 – The State of Colorado dismisses the case against Jack.
NC Family supporters, you can take some credit in this victory! Over the years, you have prayed for and spoken out in support of Jack Phillips, and even joined with NC Family in sending a delegation to Washington, D.C. to support Jack when his case was heard before the U.S. Supreme Court in December of 2017!
