Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is a Christian non-profit organization that offers legal support and representation to individuals and businesses in cases that pertain to the institution of marriage, parental rights, freedom of speech, religious freedom, and the sanctity of human life.
To summarize, Alliance Defending Freedom represents people and companies with specific religious values who want the opportunity to participate in society without worrying that the government will punish them for their beliefs on these issues. Specifically, in the course of its legal work, ADF represents clients in cases concerning rights such as the right to display symbols of religious faith on public property, the right to pray in public schools, and the right to be able to create goods and services that align with a person’s or an organization’s religious beliefs. Alliance Defending Freedom has also helped keep state and federal governments from forcing doctors and clinics to provide abortion options or to perform abortions.
Alliance Defending Freedom was founded in 1994 by leaders in the Christian community. In the years since then, the organization has become a key player in the legal cases around these issues in the U.S. and abroad.
In many high-profile cases involving Alliance Defending Freedom, the organization has often obtained favorable decisions for its clients. For instance, a baker in Colorado declined to create a custom wedding cake for a same-sex wedding because doing so would speak a message about marriage that violated his religious beliefs. This became the landmark Supreme Court case Masterpiece Cakeshop vs. Colorado Civil Rights Commission. According to the Supreme Court’s decision, the Colorado Civil Rights Commission had displayed bias against the baker’s religious views, which ultimately found that the case should be resolved in favor of the baker.
Another case, Arlene’s Flowers v State of Washington, involved a florist. Barronelle Stutzman, who owned Arlene’s Flowers, was taken to court when she respectfully declined to create custom flower arrangements for a wedding that would be held between two persons of the same sex. Even though Ms. Stutzman politely directed her longtime customer and friend of 9 years to contact three other neighboring florists who would have been able to fulfill the request and would have been glad to do so, that wasn’t good enough. Thanks to help from ADF, Ms. Stutzman was represented free of charge all the way to the Supreme Court.
In addition to cases in the U.S., ADF has a broad presence in the international community. The organization has helped in numerous international cases where persons or businesses were persecuted for their faith. ADF has supported cases here and abroad, including the right to homeschool, the right to share one’s faith, the right to assemble in worship, and more. A core tenet of Alliance Defending Freedom is protecting a person’s right to live according to their religious beliefs. ADF does not discriminate based on which religion an individual belongs to. They have supported organizations and individuals of many different faiths, including, but not limited to, Mormons, Muslims, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jews, Catholics, and more. They even support those who do not officially belong to any religion.
Alliance Defending Freedom excels in many areas and will continue to defend the institution of marriage as between one man and one woman, religious freedom, the right to free speech, parental rights to direct their children’s upbringing, including in faith, education, and health, and the sanctity of life from conception to natural death.
ADF brings together a network of qualified and committed legal professionals to create a pool of resources for those who are being vilified or prosecuted for adhering to their faith. When client rights are violated, ADF is available to ensure that the client is represented by an attorney who understands the issues and the rights of everyone to live and work according to their core religious values.
ADF can claim an 80% win rate for their clients, including hundreds of victories for students who have had their freedom of speech compromised. ADF operates with the core belief that everyone should be able to live freely to express their religious beliefs.
