{"id":2620427,"date":"2026-06-28T10:21:03","date_gmt":"2026-06-28T14:21:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/texas-judge-who-refused-to-officiate-same-sex-weddings-wins-640k-legal-victory\/"},"modified":"2026-06-28T10:22:49","modified_gmt":"2026-06-28T14:22:49","slug":"texas-judge-who-refused-to-officiate-same-sex-weddings-wins-640k-legal-victory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/texas-judge-who-refused-to-officiate-same-sex-weddings-wins-640k-legal-victory\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas Judge Who Refused to Officiate Same-Sex Weddings Wins $640K Legal Victory"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftexas-judge-who-refused-to-officiate-same-sex-weddings-wins-640k-legal-victory%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2620427&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A Texas judge,Judge Dianne Hensley,who was disciplined for refusing to officiate same-sex weddings due to her religious beliefs,achieved a legal victory. She was awarded a $10,000 settlement and over $630,000 in attorneys\u2019 fees. The court ruling, issued on June 16, recognized her rights under the Texas religious Freedom Restoration Act, prevented the Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct from investigating or disciplining her for refusing to officiate same-sex marriages, and clarified that judges can refrain from performing such ceremonies based on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/d-c-mayor-quietly-lifts-mask-requirements-for-fully-vaccinated-people-even-indoors\/\" title=\"D.C. Mayor Quietly Lifts Mask Requirements For Fully Vaccinated People, Even Indoors\">sincerely held religious beliefs<\/a>. Even though she faced sanctions and a public warning initially, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/judge-rules-trump-can-use-four-witnesses-attorney-general-james-sought-to-block-i-dont-want-a-retrial\/\" title=\"... rules Trump can use four witnesses ... James sought to block: &#039;I don&#039;t want a retrial&#039;\">subsequent legal actions<\/a>, including a texas Supreme Court decision in January 2026, affirmed her rights and limited the commission\u2019s authority. The case continues to <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >influence ongoing litigation involving judges<\/a> across Texas who refuse to perform same-sex marriages for religious reasons.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>A Texas judge who was disciplined for declining to officiate same-sex weddings because of her religious beliefs has secured a legal victory, receiving a $10,000 settlement and more than $630,000 in attorneys\u2019 fees as similar litigation involving judges across the state continues.<\/p>\n<p>First Liberty Institute announced Friday that a Travis County district court awarded the settlement to Judge Dianne Hensley, a Waco-based judge, who was sanctioned by the Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct after declining to perform same-sex weddings.<\/p>\n<p>The court\u2019s ruling, issued June 16, not only awarded Hensley the maximum compensatory damages allowed under the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act but also barred the commission from \u201cinvestigating, sanctioning, or disciplining\u201d Hensley for refusing to officiate same-sex weddings because of her religious beliefs, regardless of whether she continues to perform marriages for opposite-sex couples.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJudge Hensley always adhered to the law and the legal guidance provided by the attorney general of Texas,\u201d said First Liberty Institute Executive General Counsel Hiram Sasser. \u201cWe are grateful that this case has concluded and that Judge Hensley was vindicated.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>First Liberty added, \u201cTo ensure that all residents of McLennan County have access to low-cost wedding ceremonies, Judge Hensley compiled a referral list of local wedding officiants that would perform same-sex ceremonies at her price.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The legal group said Hensley received no public complaints. Nevertheless, the Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct issued a public warning accusing her of violating the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct.<\/p>\n<p>Hensley sued the Commission in 2019 for violating her rights under the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Last year, the Texas Supreme Court approved adding new language to the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct clarifying that \u201cIt is not a violation of these canons for a judge to publicly refrain from performing a wedding ceremony based upon a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-republicans-push-bill-aimed-at-balancing-lgbt-rights-and-religious-freedom\/\" title=\"House Republicans Push Bill Aimed at Balancing LGBT Rights and Religious Freedom\">sincerely held religious belief<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Despite the Texas Supreme Court\u2019s amendments to the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct, the Commission didn\u2019t immediately side with Hensley.<\/p>\n<p>In a <a href=\"https:\/\/texasscorecard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/response-to-msj_20251201.pdf\">court filing<\/a> submitted late last year, lawyers for the Commission argued that \u201cThe comment only gives a judge the authority to \u2018opt out\u2019 of officiating due to a sincere religious belief, but does not say that a judge can, at the same time, welcome to her chambers heterosexual couples for whom she willingly offers to conduct marriage ceremonies.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In a separate lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas late last year, Hensley alleged that the U.S. Supreme Court\u2019s 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision that legalized same-sex marriages nationwide was unconstitutional. \u201cOfficiating a wedding ceremony is speech, and the commissioners are preventing Judge Hensley from engaging in this speech unless she agrees to perform homosexual marriages in violation of her Christian faith and in violation of Texas law.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>First Liberty said a subsequent Texas Supreme Court ruling proved decisive.<\/p>\n<p>On January 9, 2026, the Texas Supreme Court ruled in a different case that the Commission has no authority under state law to discipline judges who refuse to perform same-sex weddings for moral or religious reasons. The district court entered judgment in favor of Judge Hensley shortly thereafter.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAlthough the Hensley litigation has concluded, the Commission is still facing a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/texas-judge-wins-massive-payout-after-refusing-to-officiate-same-sex-weddings\/\" title=\"... Wins Massive Payout After Refusing to Officiate Same-Sex Weddings\">statewide class-action lawsuit<\/a> on behalf of justices of the peace who were unwilling to perform same-sex marriages and stopped performing weddings entirely to avoid disciplinary action from the Commission,\u201d First Liberty Institute added. \u201cThe class action is seeking damages in the tens of millions of dollars for income lost by justices of the peace throughout the state.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post.<\/em><\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #171717; display: flex;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 600;line-height: 1.5;margin: 24px 0;padding: 18px 20px 18px 30px;text-align: left;\">\n<div style=\"align-self: stretch;border-left: 3px solid #171717;flex-shrink: 0;padding-left: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/\">Choose The Western Journal as your preferred source on Google and never miss reporting that defends truth, protects freedom, and advances Western civilization<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey == typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts = { \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs = [ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i = 0; i < inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! ( opts[inputs[i]] = document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"' + inputs[i] + '\"]' ).value ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .required-message' ).style.display = 'block'; \t\t\t\t\t\treturn; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction input[type=\"submit\"]' ).style.display = 'none'; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).src = firefly_loading_gif_url; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display = 'inline-block';  \t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( 'ma subbing' );  \t\t\t\t\tif( firefly_post_id ) opts['post_id'] = firefly_post_id;  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Send the data using post with element id name and name2*\/ \t\t\t\t\tvar posting = jQuery.post( firefly_ajax_url, opts );  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Alerts the results *\/ \t\t\t\t\tposting.done( function( response ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif( response.success ) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( response.data ); \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display = 'none'; \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-confirm' ).style.display = 'block';  \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdataLayer.push( { 'event': 'submit-correction' } ); \t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> \t     \t\t\t\t\t\t     \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (BA1)\")<\/script> \t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/body><\/html><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A Texas judge disciplined for refusing to officiate same-sex weddings has won a legal case, receiving a $10,000 settlement and over $630,000 in legal fees amid ongoing litigation statewide<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2620428,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/IMG_9679.jpeg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[50433,33335,33240,81855,3694],"class_list":["post-2620427","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-judge-2","tag-legal-victory","tag-lgbtq-rights","tag-same-sex-weddings","tag-texas"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/IMG_9679.jpeg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2620427","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2620427"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2620427\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2620431,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2620427\/revisions\/2620431"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2620428"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2620427"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2620427"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2620427"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}