BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The legal battle surrounding Tastries Bakery could reach the nation's highest court, as attorneys for Cathy Miller, the bakery's owner, have filed a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Over the last several years, the case involving Miller's refusal to decorate a wedding cake for a same-sex couple has moved through local and state courts. Now, it could reach the Supreme Court.
"The California courts have shut their ears, but we're hopeful that the Supreme Court will hear Kathy's case and do justice for her," Adele Keim said.
Keim serves as Senior Counsel for the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which represents Miller.
The California Department of Civil Rights filed a lawsuit against Miller, alleging her refusal to bake a cake for a same-sex couple was discriminatory. The department provided this statement:
"We're reviewing the filing and will respond as appropriate in court. That said, the appellate court made it clear that same-sex couples, like all Californians, are entitled to full and equal access to businesses in our state. The California Supreme Court left that decision in place, and we believe they got it right."
Miller's attorneys disagree with that assessment.
"The Supreme Court has been saying since 2018 right after California took Kathy to court, that when it comes to religious objections to same sex marriage, that's in a different category. That's not discrimination, and it shouldn't be shut down or treated the same way as garden variety bigotry," Keim said.
For Miller, knowing this case could finally reach resolution after 8 years of court battles offers some relief.
"If we look at the whole process, and we see where we're at now, and knowing that there is going to be some kind of a resolution in the very near future, hopefully it's a sigh of relief. It has been a very difficult process," Miller said.
California now has time to respond to the petition. Miller's attorneys will get one more chance to make their case before the Supreme Court decides whether to hear the case. According to Keim, the Supreme Court could decide whether or not to hear the case by November, but the decision will likely come after that.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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