Washington florist asks Supreme Court to retake her case

The Associated Press

5 years ago

FILE - In this May 23, 2019 file photo, the U.S. Supreme Court building at dusk on Capitol Hill ... — FILE – In this May 23, 2019 file photo, the U.S. Supreme Court building at dusk on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

RICHLAND, Wash. — A Richland florist who refused to provide flowers for a same-sex marriage on religious grounds is once again asking the U.S. Supreme Court to take her case.

Barronelle Stutzman and her attorneys announced Wednesday they will continue to pursue a Supreme Court hearing in the 6-year-old case.

The 74-year-old Stutzman owns Arlene’s Flowers in Richland.

The Supreme Court last year remanded the case back to the Washington Supreme Court, which in June reiterated that Stutzman broke state law by refusing to design the flowers for the same-sex wedding.

A Southern Baptist, Stutzman has argued that designing flowers is an artistic expression protected under the First Amendment.

Her lawyers contend that no creative professional should be required to create art that violates their core convictions.