Texas judge wins $640,000 after religious freedom ruling

A Texas judge who was disciplined for refusing to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies has been awarded $640,000 in damages and legal fees after a court ruled her religious freedom rights were violated. The final judgment was issued by the District Court of Travis County on June 19, 2026, in favor of McLennan County Justice of the Peace Dianne Hensley.

The court awarded Hensley $10,000 in compensatory damages, the maximum allowed under the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act, plus $630,000 in attorneys' fees. The judgment also permanently prohibits the Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct from investigating, sanctioning, or disciplining Hensley over her refusal to officiate at same-sex weddings due to her religious beliefs.

The case originated in 2019 when the commission issued a public warning to Hensley, stating that her refusal to perform same-sex weddings while continuing to officiate heterosexual ceremonies cast doubt on her capacity to act impartially. Hensley, who describes herself as a Bible-believing Christian, then sued the commission, alleging it violated her religious liberty under state law. She had established a referral system, providing couples she could not...