Settled U.S. Supreme Court

Arlene's Flowers v. State of Washington

Barronelle Stutzman
Details
Videos
Articles
Press
Commentary
Documents
Resources
Profiles

Summary

A longtime customer and friend of floral artist Barronelle Stutzman asked her to design and create custom floral arrangements for his same-sex ceremony. She politely told him that she couldn’t participate in the ceremony because of her religious beliefs, and she referred him to three other local florists. After the customer’s partner described the conversation on his Facebook page, other media outlets started to report on the situation.

Upon learning about the situation in the media, the Washington state attorney general filed an unprecedented lawsuit against Barronelle in both her professional and personal capacities, claiming that state law required her to create custom floral art celebrating same-sex ceremonies or give up her wedding business. Shortly after that, the ACLU also sued Barronelle on behalf of the same-sex couple. After this, Barronelle was faced with a barrage of media inquiries, hate mail and phone calls, and even death threats.

The trial court ruled against Barronelle and ordered her to pay penalties and attorney fees personally and professionally, threatening nearly everything she owns.

ADF petitioned the Washington Supreme Court to take up Barronelle’s case. In February 2017, that court concluded that the government can force her—and, by extension, other creative professionals—to create artistic expression and participate in events with which they disagree.

In July 2017, ADF petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to take up Barronelle's case. But in June 2018, the Court sent the case back to the Washington Supreme Court, after vacating that court’s decision and instructing it to reconsider Barronelle's lawsuit in light of the victory for cake artist Jack Phillips in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission.

In June 2019, the Washington Supreme Court ruled against Barronelle a second time, issuing basically the same ruling as before. ADF attorneys appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court once again. The Court denied the petition, and ADF asked for reconsideration.

In November 2021, Barronelle’s case was settled after nearly a decade of fighting for her constitutional rights as an artist. In Her Own Words: Barronelle's Legal Journey Comes to an End

Stutzman, 77 and a great-grandmother, explained that she is at peace with the settlement because it allows her to finally retire with her conscience intact, to hand off her business to the exact people she wants to, and to pass on the legal torch to other artists like Lorie Smith of 303 Creative in Colorado, whose case was heard by the Supreme Court in December 2022.

Related Articles

A man stands at a train station as a train goes by
When Self-Expression Becomes Our Identity
July 22, 2024
Read More
Jack Phillips of Masterpiece Cakeshop decorates a custom cake
The Dangers of Compelled Speech
October 31, 2022
Read More
What is the freedom of conscience? Why is it worth protecting today?
What Is Freedom of Conscience, and Why Does It Matter?
September 9, 2022
Read More
The First Amendment’s enduring promise is that people of goodwill are free to live out their beliefs without government hostility or punishment.
This Floral Artist Stood up for Her Beliefs and Risked Losing Everything
February 19, 2019
Read More

Press Releases

Commentary

Case Documents

Court
Title
Date
U.S. Supreme Court
Joint stipulation to dismiss
11/17/2021
U.S. Supreme Court
Petition for rehearing
7/27/2021
U.S. Supreme Court
Cert denial
7/2/2021
U.S. Supreme Court
Supplemental brief of petitioners
6/18/2021
U.S. Supreme Court
Reply brief filed with U.S. Supreme Court (2019)
12/20/2019
More Documents

Additional Resources

Video: Watch WA Attorney General concede that Barronelle’s floral designs are a form of speech

Video: Barronelle Stutzman Oral Arguments Washington State Supreme Court 11-15-16

One-page summary

Case Profiles

KW Headshot
Kristen Waggoner
CEO, President, and General Counsel
As the CEO, president, and general counsel of Alliance Defending Freedom, Kristen Waggoner leads the faith-based organization in advancing the God-given right to live and speak the truth in the U.S. and around the world.
View Profile