Jack Phillips opened Masterpiece Cakeshop in 1993 and has served the community of Lakewood, Colorado for more than 25 years. Jack serves all customers; but like many creative professionals, he can’t express messages or celebrate events that conflict with his beliefs. For example, he’s declined to create custom cakes that celebrate Halloween, disparage others, or express anti-American themes. In July 2012, two men came into the cakeshop requesting a custom wedding cake celebrating their same-sex marriage. Jack politely declined the request, but offered to design cakes for other occasions or to sell them anything else in his shop. The couple filed a complaint with the Colorado Civil Rights Commission alleging that Jack and his shop discriminated on the basis of sexual orientation. Kristen Waggoner, ADF attorney and panelist, argued the case before the United States Supreme Court on behalf of Jack and Masterpiece. On June 4, 2018, the Court ruled 7 to 2 in Jack’s favor, finding that the government acted with impermissible hostility toward his faith. Despite six years of litigation and a ruling from the Supreme Court, the State of Colorado is prosecuting Jack again. In response, Jack filed suit against the Commission in federal court.
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