A Hamilton County Superior Court 1 judge will hear oral arguments Thursday from several parties in a lawsuit challenging Indiana’s fix to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) and four cities’ protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents, including Columbus.
The lawsuit, filed by the Terre Haute-based Bopp Law Firm, has been pending since 2015.
Oral arguments are set for Thursday from 8:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Hamilton County Superior Court 1, 1 Hamilton County Square, Suite 345, in Noblesville.
It was initially filed as a challenge to the legislative fix to Indiana’s RFRA, and originally named Carmel and Indianapolis/Marion Count as defendants. Bloomington and Columbus were added as defendants in January 2016 after each city added human rights protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents.
The law firm filed the complaint on behalf of plaintiffs the Indiana Family Institute, Indiana Family Action and the American Family Association of Indiana, which contend the versions of the ordinances that protect the LGBT community from discrimination means the government could compel them to provide services to gay couples that go against their religious beliefs.
Because the primary attack is on Indiana’s state statute, the state of Indiana was also added as a defendant in the case.
“All that we’ll be doing is arguing our various briefs,” Columbus city attorney Alan Whitted said. “… The judge has the briefs, I’m sure the judge has reviewed the briefs to some extent so the judge will give the parties an opportunity to argue their briefs.”
For more on this story, see Thursday’s Republic.
