Louisville to Pay $800,000 for Violating Christian Photographer’s Free Speech Rights

The metropolis of Louisville, Kentucky can pay $800,000 in attorneys’ charges for violating the First Amendment rights of a Christian photographer and blogger.

“The government cannot force Americans to say things they don’t believe,” stated Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) Senior Counsel Bryan Neihart. “For almost six years, Louisville officials tried to do just that by threatening to force Chelsey to promote views about marriage that violated her religious beliefs.”

Chelsey Nelson, proprietor of Chelsey Nelson Photography, uses her ardour for images to rejoice marriage. She believes that God created marriage as a lifelong dedication between one man and one girl.

While Chelsey works with shoppers of all completely different faiths and backgrounds, she can’t in good conscience use her skills and skills to rejoice ceremonies she disagrees with – like “same-sex weddings.”

However, the town of Louisville, invoking its public lodging regulation (Metro Ordinance § 92.05), used the threat of “limitless damages, compliance reports, posting of notices, and court orders to force Chelsey to create photographs for, blog about, and participate in” same-sex weddings.

The metropolis additionally made it unlawful for Chelsey to clarify why she believes marriage is between a person and a lady on her personal enterprise web site. Can you think about a extra direct assault on free speech than that?

To shield her personal conscience, enterprise and constitutional rights, Chelsey filed a lawsuit alleging Louisville’s regulation violated the First and Fourteenth Amendments and the Kentucky Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Chelsey is represented by attorneys with ADF.

The group printed a video sharing extra of Chelsey’s story, which you’ll be able to watch beneath:

On August 30, 2022, the U.S. District Court of the Western District of Kentucky issued a permanent injunction barring Louisville from imposing its public lodging regulation towards Chelsey.

The courtroom stated legal guidelines like Louisville’s “coerce” Americans into “betraying their convictions.” Indeed, “The First Amendment exists to …  keep the artist’s expression truly free,” it added.

Now, the town of Louisville has agreed to settle the lawsuit and pay $800,000 in attorneys’ charges, prices and bills. The metropolis determined to lastly settle after a September 2025 ruling from the courtroom, stating, “Nelson suffered a First Amendment injury.”

“Louisville’s threats contradicted bedrock First Amendment principles which leave decisions about what to say with the people, not the government,” Neihart added. “This settlement should teach Louisville that violating the U.S. Constitution can be expensive.”

No Christian ought to be pressured by the federal government to violate their sincerely held non secular beliefs and rejoice a ceremony they imagine is sinful.

We congratulate Chelsey on her victory and applaud her for standing up for her religion and constitutional rights.

The case is Chelsey Nelson Photography v. Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government.

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Photo from Alliance Defending Freedom.