Lee v. Ashers Baking Company Ltd.

[2018] UKSC 49 (2018)

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Lee v. Ashers Baking Company Ltd.

United Kingdom Supreme Court
[2018] UKSC 49 (2018)

Facts

Gareth Lee (plaintiff) was a gay man who asked Ashers Baking Company Ltd. (Ashers) (defendant) in Northern Ireland to bake a cake that was decorated with the words “Support Gay Marriage.” Lee had previously bought other cakes from Ashers, but Ashers’ owners and staff did not know Lee personally. Ashers’ owners were Christians who sincerely believed gay marriage was inconsistent with Biblical teaching and unacceptable to God. Ashers’ owners thus refused to bake Lee’s requested cake. Lee brought an action against Ashers, asserting that Ashers’ refusal to supply the cake constituted sexual-orientation discrimination. The district judge found that discrimination had occurred, and Ashers appealed. The Northern Ireland Court of Appeal affirmed, and Ashers appealed to the United Kingdom Supreme Court.

Rule of Law

Issue

Holding and Reasoning (Hale, J.)

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