by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – A federal court has ruled in favor of a Christian wedding photographer who challenged New York’s public accommodation laws, finding that the state cannot compel her to create content that conflicts with her religious beliefs.
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York issued a preliminary injunction Thursday in the case Emilee Carpenter Photography v. James, siding with photographer and blogger Emilee Carpenter, whose business faced the threat of steep fines, a revoked license, and potential jail time for refusing to photograph same-sex weddings or post affirming messages on her website.
The court determined Carpenter’s photography services are “expressive activity protected by the First Amendment,” and cited the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in 303 Creative v. Elenis, which held that states cannot use public accommodation laws to compel artists to express messages that violate their conscience.
“Given the Supreme Court’s decision in 303 Creative, it is now beyond debate that a state’s public accommodations law may not be applied to expressive activity to compel speech,” the court wrote.
Carpenter, represented by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), first filed suit in 2021 after state officials warned her that refusing to photograph same-sex weddings or posting her religious beliefs about marriage could result in penalties of up to $100,000 and even imprisonment under New York law. A district court initially ruled against her, but the case was revived by the Second Circuit and reconsidered following the 303 Creative precedent.
ADF Legal Counsel Bryan Neihart hailed the ruling: “Free speech is for everyone, and more courts are ruling consistent with that message. The government can’t force Americans to say things they don’t believe.”
Carpenter’s website states her belief that “marriage is a picture of the Gospel and demonstrates the redemptive love of Jesus Christ.” The court recognized this conviction as core to her expressive work. “[Emilee] provides a customized, tailored photography service that is guided by her own artistic and moral judgment,” the ruling stated.
Raymond Dague of Dague Law served as local counsel. The ruling marks a notable expansion of constitutional protections for religious expression in creative professions and could have wide-reaching implications for similar legal challenges across the country.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
More Worthy News
President Donald Trump on Tuesday issued a stern warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin, claiming that only his leadership has kept Russia from facing devastating consequences amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. In a fiery post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “What Vladimir Putin doesn’t realize is that if it weren’t for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD. He’s playing with fire!”
Satellite imagery has revealed a significant U.S. military buildup at the Diego Garcia air base in the Indian Ocean, suggesting heightened readiness amid rising tensions with Iran. The Pentagon declined to comment, but open-source intelligence analysts say the activity reflects increased aerial and naval capabilities at the key U.S. outpost, located over 2,000 miles from Iran’s southern coast.
The Israeli government on Monday approved the emergency recruitment of up to 450,000 reservists through August 31, 2025, the highest number since the October 7 Hamas attack. The move comes amid strong legal criticism over the state’s failure to enforce equal conscription, particularly within the ultra-Orthodox community.
A newly opened humanitarian aid center in the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood of Rafah descended into chaos Tuesday, as massive crowds of Palestinians breached the compound, prompting an emergency evacuation by American aid workers and private security personnel.
In a major blow to student free speech rights, the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to hear the appeal of a Massachusetts seventh-grader who was barred from wearing a T-shirt to school that read, “There are only two genders.” The decision leaves in place a controversial federal court ruling that allowed the school to silence the student while promoting opposing viewpoints.
Republicans’ behemoth budget reconciliation bill still faces major hurdles after passing the U.S. House last week, with multiple senators raising concerns about the legislation’s cost.
After an emotional debate, France’s parliament approved a move to legalize assisted dying, despite the devout Catholic prime minister having concerns about the law.