No. 25-233

Catharine Miller, et al. v. Civil Rights Department

Lower Court: California
Docketed: 2025-08-28
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Amici (10) Experienced Counsel
Tags: compelled-speech employment-division-smith free-speech public-accommodation religious-freedom same-sex-marriage
Key Terms:
AdministrativeLaw FirstAmendment Privacy JusticiabilityDoctri
Latest Conference: 2025-12-05
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether the Free Speech Clause protects a baker from being compelled to create a custom wedding cake for a same-sex wedding ceremony when the baker believes the cake would express an endorsement of the ceremony

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

Petitioner Cathy Miller runs a small bakery in Bakersfield, California , where she designs and creates custom wedding cakes. After she declined to design and create a wedding cake for a same -sex wedding ceremony, the State of California began an 8-year civil prosecution against Miller and her bakery , alleging violations of California’s public accommodation laws. Prosecution started after this Court’s grant o f certiorari in Masterpiece Cakeshop and continued through its decision s in that case , Fulton , and 303 Creative . After a week -long bench trial, t he state trial court ruled for Petitioners under the Free Speech Clause . The state appeals court reversed , holding that this Court’s precedents were inapplicable , that the white, multi tiered cake Miller refused to design “ conveyed no particularized message about the nature of marriage ,” and that the law was generally applicable under the Free Exercise Clause because it did not grant unfettered discretion or exemptions for identical secular conduct . The state s upreme court declined review. The question s presented are: 1. Whether the Free Speech Clause ’s protection against compelled participation in a ceremony only applies where third parties would view that participation as expressing endorsement of the ceremony . 2. Whether proving a lack of general applicability under the Free Exercise Clause requires showing unfettered discretion or categorical exemptions for identical secular conduct . 3. Whether Employment Division v. Smith should be overruled .

Docket Entries

2025-12-08
Petition DENIED.
2025-11-12
Reply of petitioners Catharine Miller, et al. filed. (Distributed)
2025-11-12
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 12/5/2025.
2025-10-29
Brief of respondent Civil Rights Department in opposition filed.
2025-10-29
Brief of Civil Rights Dept. in opposition submitted.
2025-09-29
Brief amicus curiae of Advocates for Faith and Freedom filed.
2025-09-29
Brief amicus curiae of Manhattan Institute filed.
2025-09-29
Brief amici curiae of 14 First Amendment Scholars filed.
2025-09-29
Brief amici curiae of The National Legal Foundation, et al. filed.
2025-09-29
Brief amici curiae of Alabama, et al. filed.
2025-09-29
Brief amicus curiae of NC Values Institute filed.
2025-09-29
Brief amici curiae of Advancing American Freedom, et al. filed.
2025-09-29
Brief amicus curiae of Foothills Christian Church filed.
2025-09-29
Brief amicus curiae of Protect the First Foundation filed.
2025-09-29
Brief amici curiae of General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, et al. filed.
2025-09-29
Amicus brief of Foothills Christian Church submitted.
2025-09-29
Amicus brief of Protect the First Foundation submitted.
2025-09-29
Amicus brief of The National Legal Foundation, Anglican Church in North America, Concerned Women for America, The Family Foundation, Illinois Family Institute, Pacific Justice Institute, International Conference of Evangelical Chaplain Endorsers, and Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation submitted.
2025-09-29
Amicus brief of Manhattan Institute submitted.
2025-09-29
Amicus brief of Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, And West Virginia submitted.
2025-09-29
Amicus brief of NC Values Institute submitted.
2025-09-29
Amicus brief of General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy submitted.
2025-09-29
Amicus brief of Advocates for Faith and Freedom submitted.
2025-09-04
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including October 29, 2025.
2025-09-02
Motion to extend the time to file a response from September 29, 2025 to October 29, 2025, submitted to The Clerk.
2025-09-02
Motion of Civil Rights Dept. for an extension of time submitted.
2025-08-26
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due September 29, 2025)

Attorneys

14 First Amendment Scholars
Mark Ian PinkertHoltzman Vogel Baran Torchinsky & Josefiak PLLC, Amicus
Mark Ian PinkertHoltzman Vogel Baran Torchinsky & Josefiak PLLC, Amicus
Advancing American Freedom
John Marc WheatAdvancing American Freedom, Inc., Amicus
John Marc WheatAdvancing American Freedom, Inc., Amicus
Advocates for Faith and Freedom
Erin Elizabeth MersinoAdvocates for Faith and Freedom, Amicus
Erin Elizabeth MersinoAdvocates for Faith and Freedom, Amicus
Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, And West Virginia
William Robert PetersonOffice of the Texas Attorney General, Amicus
William Robert PetersonOffice of the Texas Attorney General, Amicus
Catharine Miller, et al.
Eric Christopher RassbachThe Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, Petitioner
Eric Christopher RassbachThe Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, Petitioner
Civil Rights Dept.
Julie Michelle VeroffCalifornia Department of Justice, Respondent
Julie Michelle VeroffCalifornia Department of Justice, Respondent
Foothills Christian Church
Paul Raymond KrausPaul R. Kraus, Attorney at Law, PC, Amicus
Paul Raymond KrausPaul R. Kraus, Attorney at Law, PC, Amicus
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy
Christopher E. MillsSpero Law LLC, Amicus
Christopher E. MillsSpero Law LLC, Amicus
Manhattan Institute
Thomas Ryan McCarthyConsovoy McCarthy PLLC, Amicus
Thomas Ryan McCarthyConsovoy McCarthy PLLC, Amicus
NC Values Institute
Deborah Dewart — Amicus
Deborah Dewart — Amicus
Protect the First Foundation
Gene Clayton SchaerrSchaerr | Jaffe, Amicus
Gene Clayton SchaerrSchaerr | Jaffe, Amicus
The National Legal Foundation, Anglican Church in North America, Concerned Women for America, The Family Foundation, Illinois Family Institute, Pacific Justice Institute, International Conference of Evangelical Chaplain Endorsers, and Congressional Prayer
Frederick W. Claybrook Jr.Claybrook, LLC, Amicus
Frederick W. Claybrook Jr.Claybrook, LLC, Amicus