Supreme court sides with baker who refused to make gay wedding cake

The US supreme court has ruled in favor of the Colorado baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple for religious reasons – but avoided a wider ruling on religious exemptions for businesses.

'This happens all the time': why a gay couple took their cake case to the supreme courtRead moreCharlie Craig and David Mullins went to the Masterpiece Cakeshop in Lakewood, Colorado, in July 2012, only for owner Jack Phillips to say he would not provide a cake for a same sex couple.

They complained to the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, which decided against Phillips.


But the case went all the way to the supreme court which, on Monday, ruled 7-2 that the commission had violated Phillips’ rights under the first amendment, which guarantees freedom of expression.


The court did not address the wider principle of whether a business can refuse to serve gay and lesbian people, saying this “must await further elaboration”.