An attorney who formerly represented Barronelle Stutzman and Arlene’s Flowers has announced that she’s running for Superior Court Judge in Position 3, a seat currently held by Judge Alexander Ekstrom.
In 2013, Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson sued Stutzman for alleged discrimination when she declined to prepare flowers for a longtime customer’s gay wedding. The suit was filed with the Washington Superior Court in District Benton and Franklin counties.
The judge presiding over this case was none other than Judge Alexander Ekstrom, who ruled against Stutzman and in favor of the the Government on summary judgement. Stutzman has appealed and the Washington State Supreme Court has agreed to take up the case. Stutzman was sued her her personal and professional capacity and faces significant financial penalties shoudl she lose.
Attorney Alicia Berry, a principal partner at the Liebler, Connor, Berry & St. Hilaire Legal Firm, says people have lost trust in the judicial system. “This loss of trust in a fundamental government system designed to protect the people from oppressive government oversight and regulation needs to be addressed,” she says on her campaign website.
Her opponent, incumbent judge Alexander Ekstrom, was appointed to the seat in 2014 by Governor Jay Inslee. “Religious motivation does not excuse compliance with the law,” he said, in his 60-page opinion ruling against Stutzman.
