Telescope Media Group v. Lindsey (U.S.C.A. 8th Circuit, 2018)

The case involves a videography company in Minnesota that refuses to provide services for weddings of same-sex couples. The owners filed a lawsuit challenging a Minnesota anti-discrimination statute that would have prevented them from discriminating against same-sex couples. Among other things, Telescope Media Group argued that application of the Minnesota law to the situation would compel speech in violation of the First Amendment, and violate their religious freedom rights under the Free Exercise Clause. ADL joined an amicus brief with other civil rights and LGBT rights organizations, led by the Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU), which argues that requiring videographers to serve customers on nondiscriminatory terms does not compel speech and selling wedding videos does not impede expressive association. The Free Exercise Clause does not provide a right to violate nondiscrimination laws and indeed, the Establishment Clause prohibits the type of religious exemption that Telescope seeks in this case.