Press Release

Becket Fund’s Statement following Pharmacist Conscience Case Hearing

Media Contact

Ryan Colby 202-349-7219 media@becketlaw.org

Additional Information

Washington, D.C. – Moments ago, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral argument in Stormans v. Wiesman, a case challenging Washington State regulations that would require a family-owned pharmacy and two individual pharmacists to dispense the morning-after and week-after pills in violation of their religious beliefs.

The following statement can be attributed to Luke Goodrich, Deputy General Counsel of Becket:

“The government has no business punishing citizens solely because of their religious beliefs. The plaintiffs willingly refer patients to over 30 pharmacies that stock the morning-after pill within a five mile radius, and no patient has ever been denied timely access to any drug. The plaintiff’s practices are supported by the American Pharmacists Association and are legal in every other state. We’re optimistic that the court will not permit the government’s naked discrimination against people of faith.”

Becket, together with former Tenth Circuit Judge Michael McConnell, the law firm of Ellis, Li, & McKinstry, and Alliance Defending Freedom, is representing the plaintiffs, who face the loss of their pharmacy license and exclusion from their profession for acting according to their conscience.

Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions. For over 20 years, it has defended clients of all faiths, including  Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians. Its recent cases include two major Supreme Court victories: the landmark ruling in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, and the 9-0 ruling in Hosanna-Tabor v. EEOC, which The Wall Street Journal called one of “the most important religious liberty cases in a half century.”

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For more information, or to arrange an interview with one of the attorneys, please contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or call 202.349.7224.