Christian florist who was fined for refusing to serve gay wedding files Supreme Court appeal

Barronelle Stutzman, a florist from Washington state, has filed an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse a lower court decision that found her guilty for refusing to make floral arrangements for a same-sex wedding.

The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a Christian legal organization that defends religious liberty, announced on Friday that it had asked the Supreme Court to hear the case of Stutzman.

"For more than four years, Barronelle has endured the litigation in this case with unwavering grace, humility, and faith – even as she faces losing everything she owns. Now she will take her last stand before the U.S. Supreme Court, asking it to preserve her religious freedom and her right not to be forced to speak a message about marriage that violates her beliefs," the ADF wrote.

Stutzman, the owner of Arlene's Flowers in Richmond, Washington, was sued in 2015 after she refused to make flower arrangements for her longtime customer Robert Ingersoll and his homosexual partner.

The florist told Ingersoll, who had been her customer for 10 years, that she could not make the flower arrangements as it would violate her deeply held religious beliefs, and referred him to a florist who could.

That same year, the Benton County Superior Court handed down a fine of $1,001 on the Christian florist and held her responsible for paying thousands of dollars in legal fees incurred by Ingersoll and his partner. The Washington Supreme Court took up the case last year and agreed with the lower court ruling.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which filed the lawsuit against the 72-year-old florist, reportedly offered to drop the case against her if she donated $5,000 to an LGBT activist group, issued a public apology and promised to stop refusing customers.

According to Church Militant, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson offered to settle a second case against Stutzman for a $2,000 penalty, a $1 fine and a promise to stop refusing customers.

She rejected the offers, saying she could not compromise her Christian faith. A total of $174,000 was raised by supporters to help Stutzman with the legal fees, but the online fundraising platform GoFundMe canceled the donations after complaints from LGBT activists.

Stutzman's appeal came just weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to take up the case of Jack Phillips, a Colorado baker who was also sued for refusing to make a wedding cake for a same-sex marriage.

ADF attorneys have reportedly requested permission to consolidate Stutzman's cases with Phillips' case.