NY pays $225K to finish authorized battle with Christian photographer

By Ryan Foley, Christian Post Reporter Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Two months after a federal decide blocked New York from forcing a Christian photographer to supply companies for same-sex weddings, the state has agreed to a settlement bringing 4 years of litigation to an finish. 

As a part of the agreement reached Tuesday within the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York, New York’s Democratic Attorney General Letitia James and Commissioner of the New York State Division of Human Rights Denise Miranda have been ordered to not implement a number of provisions of New York’s antidiscrimination legal guidelines in opposition to Emilee Carpenter Photography.  

Under the phrases of the settlement, the defendants can pay $225,000 in lawyer’s charges stemming from the litigation first filed by Carpenter in 2021.

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Carpenter’s lawsuit stemmed from her concern that New York state legislation would require her to supply companies for same-sex weddings regardless of her spiritual objections to doing so. 

U.S. District Judge Frank Geraci, an Obama appointee, issued an order in favor of Carpenter in May.

The decide prohibited the state from forcing “Plaintiffs to offer to same-sex couples the same engagement- and wedding-photography services they provide to opposite-sex couples” and “prevent Plaintiffs from asking prospective clients questions sufficient to determine whether they seek photography services celebrating a same-sex wedding or engagement or from asking materially similar questions.” 

The state can also’t prohibit Carpenter from adopting her “desired Beliefs and Practices policy” and sharing it on her web site, social media or in conversations with potential purchasers.

Attorneys for Carpenter, from the Alliance Defending Freedom and Dague & Martin, agreed to the phrases of the settlement on July 7, whereas attorneys for the defendants signed off on it on July 8. The phrases of the settlement took impact on Tuesday with Geraci’s signature. 

Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Bryan Neihart praised the event.

“Free speech is for everyone, and we’re pleased to settle this case so that Emilee can speak her views on marriage without being punished by New York,” he stated in a statement Tuesday. “As the Supreme Court reaffirmed in 303 Creative, the government can’t force Americans to say things they don’t believe.” 

“The U.S. Constitution protects Emilee’s freedom to express her own beliefs as she continues to serve clients of all backgrounds and beliefs. New Yorkers can now enjoy the freedom to create and express themselves, a freedom that protects all Americans regardless of their views,” he added.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s 303 Creative LLC v. Elenisruling in 2023 said that the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits states from utilizing “expressive activity to compel speech.” While Carpenter’s lawsuit predates the 303 Creative choice by two years, the choice prompted the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to order the U.S. District Court to rehear Carpenter’s case after it had dominated in opposition to her. 

Although Carpenter by no means confronted litigation for refusing to supply companies for a same-sex wedding ceremony, different enterprise house owners throughout the U.S. have confronted authorized battles as a result of they declined to take part in same-sex weddings on account of their spiritual beliefs.

Aaron and Melissa Klein, a Christian couple based mostly in Oregon, confronted $135,000 in fines for declining to make a cake for a same-sex wedding ceremony.

Barronelle Stutzman, a florist based mostly in Washington state, paid $5,000 to finish litigation stemming from her objection to offering flowers for a same-sex wedding ceremony.