Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/17pdf/16-111_j4el.pdf
Page Number: 6.0

Cite as:  584 U. S. ____ (2018) 

3 

Opinion of the Court 

have  his  right  to  the  free  exercise  of  religion  limited  by 
generally  applicable  laws.    Still,  the  delicate  question  of
when  the  free  exercise  of  his  religion  must  yield  to  an 
otherwise  valid  exercise  of  state  power  needed  to  be  de-
termined in an adjudication in which religious hostility on
the  part  of  the  State  itself  would  not  be  a  factor  in  the
balance  the  State  sought  to  reach.    That  requirement,
however,  was  not  met  here.  When  the  Colorado  Civil 
Rights  Commission  considered  this  case,  it  did  not  do 
so  with  the  religious  neutrality  that  the  Constitution
requires.

Given  all  these  considerations,  it  is  proper  to  hold  that 
whatever  the  outcome  of  some  future  controversy  involv-
ing  facts  similar  to  these,  the  Commission’s  actions  here 
violated  the  Free  Exercise  Clause;  and  its  order  must  be 
set aside. 

I 

A 

Masterpiece  Cakeshop,  Ltd.,  is  a  bakery  in  Lakewood, 
Colorado, a suburb of Denver.  The shop offers a variety of
baked goods, ranging from everyday cookies and brownies 
to  elaborate  custom-designed  cakes  for  birthday  parties,
weddings, and other events.

Jack  Phillips  is  an  expert  baker  who  has  owned  and 
operated the shop for 24 years.  Phillips is a devout Chris-
tian.  He has explained that his “main goal in life is to be 
obedient  to”  Jesus  Christ  and  Christ’s  “teachings  in  all 
aspects of his life.”  App. 148.  And he seeks to “honor God 
through his work at Masterpiece Cakeshop.”  Ibid.  One of 
Phillips’  religious  beliefs  is  that  “God’s  intention  for  mar-
riage from the beginning of history is that it is and should 
be the union of one man and one woman.”  Id., at 149.  To 
Phillips,  creating  a  wedding  cake  for  a  same-sex  wedding 
would  be  equivalent  to  participating  in  a  celebration  that 
is contrary to his own most deeply held beliefs.