A Texas justice of the peace who declined to officiate same-sex weddings due to her Christian faith has been awarded over $640,000 after a Travis County district court ruled that the state’s judicial oversight agency violated her rights.
Background of the Case
McLennan County Justice of the Peace Dianne Hensley was awarded $10,000 in compensatory damages, while the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct was ordered to pay approximately $630,000 in attorney fees and related expenses. The ruling also permanently bars the commission from investigating, sanctioning, or disciplining Hensley for refusing to officiate same-sex marriages based on her religious convictions.
The case stems from disciplinary action taken against Hensley in 2019 after the commission learned that she would perform marriage ceremonies only for opposite-sex couples. Hensley, who cited her Christian faith, referred same-sex couples to other local officiants willing to conduct the ceremonies.
Religious Liberty and the Law
Hensley challenged the discipline under the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act, arguing that the commission’s actions unlawfully burdened her right to exercise religion. The dispute led to years of litigation, with the Texas Supreme Court ultimately ruling that Hensley’s lawsuit could proceed and sending the case back to a lower court for further consideration.
In a separate ruling issued in January 2026, the Texas Supreme Court determined that the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct lacked authority under state law to discipline judges who decline to perform same-sex weddings for moral or religious reasons. Following that decision, the Travis County court ruled in Hensley’s favor.
Hensley maintained that she attempted to accommodate couples seeking marriage ceremonies by creating a referral list of local officiants who would perform same-sex weddings at comparable rates. The commission later withdrew its disciplinary sanction against Hensley in 2024.
Hensley said the commission exceeded its authority by disciplining her for following her religious beliefs. “I think the agency overstepped itself, and what we saw was their bias on the issue and not the law,” Hensley told KERA News following the decision.
Hiram Sasser, executive general counsel for the First Liberty Institute, which represented Hensley, praised the outcome. “Judge Hensley always adhered to the law and the legal guidance provided by the Attorney General of Texas,” Sasser said.
Original reporting: The Dallas Express — read the source article.
