Texas Judge Wins 640000 Dollars in Religious Freedom Case Over Same-Sex Wedding Refusals
A Travis County district court awarded Judge Dianne Hensley $640,000 in June 2026, ending a years-long legal battle after she was sanctioned for declining to officiate same-sex weddings based on her Christian faith. The court also permanently barred the State Commission on Judicial Conduct from investigating her.
A Texas district court handed Judge Dianne Hensley a final victory in June 2026, awarding her $640,000 and permanently blocking the State Commission on Judicial Conduct from investigating her religious conduct.
Hensley, a justice of the peace in Waco, stopped officiating same-sex weddings after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in 2015. She referred couples to other officiants instead. The Commission issued her a public warning, which she challenged in court.
The District Court of Travis County awarded Hensley $10,000 in compensatory damages under the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The Commission was also ordered to pay $630,000 in attorney fees. The court permanently enjoined the Commission from investigating or sanctioning her for declining to officiate same-sex ceremonies.
The ruling follows a broader shift in Texas law. In October 2025, the Texas Supreme Court amended the state Code of Judicial Conduct to explicitly allow judges to decline performing wedding ceremonies based on sincerely held religious beliefs. In January 2026, the court confirmed the Commission lacks authority to discipline judges for such refusals.
A separate class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of other justices of the peace who stopped performing all weddings to avoid sanctions remains pending. Those plaintiffs are seeking damages for lost income.
Hensley is also pursuing a federal lawsuit seeking to overturn the U.S. Supreme Court's 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision, arguing the federal judiciary overstepped its authority.
