Kristen Waggoner: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia


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{{short description|American constitutional lawyer}}▼

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▲{{shortShort description|American constitutional lawyer (1972–)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2020}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Kristen K. Waggoner

| image = <!-- filename only, no "File:" or "Image:" prefix, and no enclosing [[brackets]] -->

| image_upright =

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| native_name =

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| birth_name = Kristen Kellie Behrends

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1972}}

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| other_names =

| education | = [[Northwest University (United States)|Northwest University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br>[[Regent University]] ([[Juris Doctor|JD]])▼

| alma_mater = {{ubl

▲ | [[Northwest University (United States)|Northwest University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])

| [[Regent University School of Law|Regent University]] ([[Juris Doctor|JD]])

}}

| occupation = Attorney

| employer = [[Alliance Defending Freedom]]

| title = CEO, President and General Counsel

| spouse = Benjamin Waggoner

| partner = <!-- (unmarried long-term partner) -->

| children = 3

| relatives =

| family =

}}

'''Kristen Kellie Waggoner''' (born 1972) is an American attorney. She has been president and CEO of [[Alliance Defending Freedom]], a right-wing Christian legal advocacy group, since 2022.

'''Kristen K. Waggoner''' (born 1972) is an American [[United States Constitution|constitutional]] [[lawyer]]. She was the lead counsel in a case at the United States Supreme Court concerning First Amendment rights, ''[[Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission]]''. In the lawsuit, Waggoner represented Masterpiece Cakeshop owner Jack Phillips. She currently serves as CEO, President and General Counsel of the anti-LGBTQ Christian-oriented legal organization [[Alliance Defending Freedom]] (ADF).<ref name=bio>{{cite web |title=Kristen K. Waggoner |url=https://adflegal.org/biography/kristen-k-waggoner |website=adflegal.org |publisher=Alliance Defending Freedom |access-date=26 July 2021}}</ref>

In 2018, Waggoner was the lead counsel defending a baker who had discriminated against a gay couple on religious freedom grounds in ''[[Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission]]''.

== Early life and education ==

Waggoner was born in 1972 in [[Longview, Washington]], which is about an hour outside of Portland, as the eldest of four children. Her father is Clint Behrends,was a school superintendent and a licensed minister in the [[Assemblies of God]] denominationminister. Her mother, Lavonne Behrends, iswas a stay-at-home mom. Lavonne alsowho worked part-time in the accounting industry. Waggoner is the eldest of four children.<ref name="mcintyre">{{cite web|url=http://dailysignal.com/2017/12/04/meet-lawyer-wholl-argue-supreme-court-christian-bakers-right-free-speech/|title=Meet the Lawyer Who’ll Argue at Supreme Court for Christian Baker’s Right to Free Speech|last1=McIntyre|first1=Ken|date=4 Dec 2014|publisher=The Daily Signal|accessdate=23 August 2019}}</ref><ref name="Contrera">{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/inside-the-christian-legal-powerhouse-that-keeps-winning-at-the-supreme-court/2018/07/04/fffa6aa0-7adb-11e8-93cc-6d3beccdd7a3_story.html |title=Inside the Christian legal powerhouse that keeps winning at the Supreme Court |last=Contrera |first=Jessica |date=July 4, 2018 |worknewspaper=Washington Post |access-date=August 23, 2019}}</ref>

ForWaggoner primaryattended andChristian secondaryschools educationfrom Waggonerprimary attendedschool Christianthrough schoolslaw school. Her father was the principal during her 1st through 12th grades. In an interview with ''[[The Daily Signal]]'', Waggoner relates the life changing story of how she became motivated to become an attorney. When she was 13 she attended a summer camp. While at the camp she prayed and "saw clearly that defending ministries and religious freedom should be her path." She said, "That’s what I thought God was impressing on me to do, and it matched with my skill set." In high school she played volleyball and basketball. She graduated high school as [[valedictorian]].<ref name="mcintyre" /><ref name="tubbs">{{cite web|url=https://www.regent.edu/news-events/kristen-waggoner-selected-regent-universitys-alumnus-year-award/|title=Kristen Waggoner Selected for Regent University’sUniversity's Alumnus of the Year Award|last1=Tubbs|first1=Brett Wilson|date=12 May 2016|publisher=Regent University School of Law|accessdate=23 August 2019}}</ref>

She attended [[Northwest University (United States)|Northwest University]] on a drama scholarship. Northwest is also a Christian school and is, affiliated with the Assemblies of God. She excelled in debate and public speaking, andon continueda playingdrama volleyballscholarship. After graduating ''[[Latin honors#United States|magna cum laude]]'' from Northwest, she attended [[Regent University School of Law]]. At Regent she won "best oralist" at the Whittier Moot Court Competition, a national contest. She graduated ''cum laude'' in 1997 with a [[Juris Doctor]] ''cum laude''. <ref name="bio/"><ref{{cite nameweb |title="mcintyre"Kristen K. Waggoner |url=https://adflegal.org/biography/kristen-k-waggoner |access-date=26 July 2021 |website=adflegal.org |publisher=Alliance Defending Freedom}}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=May 2024}}

== Career ==

After law school, Waggoner was a [[law clerk]] to Justice [[Richard B. Sanders]] of the [[Washington Supreme Court]]. She thenalso interned[[intern]]ed with [[U.S. Representative]] [[Linda Smith (American politician)|Linda Smith]]. In 1998, she entered private practice with the Seattle law firm [[Union Square (Seattle)#Tenants|Ellis, Li & McKinstry]] (ELM). ELM specializes in constitutional law and many of its clients are religious organizations. According to partner Keith Kemper, it'sa "perhaps the nation’s largest private[[Seattle]] law firm made up of Christian attorneys." Waggoner was elevated to [[Law firm partner|partner]] in 2004.<ref name{{cn|date="mcintyre"February />2024}}▼

===Alliance Defending Freedom===

▲After law school, Waggoner was a [[law clerk]] to Justice [[Richard B. Sanders]] of the [[Washington Supreme Court]]. She then interned with U.S. Representative [[Linda Smith (American politician)|Linda Smith]]. In 1998, she entered private practice with the Seattle law firm [[Union Square (Seattle)#Tenants|Ellis, Li & McKinstry]] (ELM). ELM specializes in constitutional law and many of its clients are religious organizations. According to partner Keith Kemper, it's "perhaps the nation’s largest private law firm made up of Christian attorneys." Waggoner was elevated to partner in 2004.<ref name="mcintyre" />

Waggoner joined ADF in 2013 and moved to the firm's [[Scottsdale, Arizona|Scottsdale]] headquarters in 2014. During her tenure, ADF has been victorious as lead counsel in nine Supreme Court cases, including [[Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission]].<ref name="adf">{{cite web|url=https://www.adflegal.org/detailspages/biography-details/kristen-k.-waggoner|title=Kristen K. Waggoner Biography|publisher=Alliance Defending Freedom|accessdate=23 August 2019}}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=May 2024}}

On October 1, 2022, Waggoner succeeded [[Michael Farris (lawyer)|Michael Farris]] as CEO and Presidentpresident of ADF, retaining her role as General Counsel.<ref>{{cite web |title=ADF names new president, CEO|url=https://adflegal.org/press-release/adf-names-new-president-ceo|website=adflegal.org |date=August 19, 2022 |publisher=Alliance Defending Freedom |access-date=5 September 2022}}</ref>▼

Waggoner's most important case while at ELM was the [[Arlene's Flowers lawsuit|Arlene's Flowers Lawsuit]]. In 2013 florist Barronelle Stutzman declined to provide flowers for a same sex wedding based on her deeply held Christian beliefs. Same sex marriage was legalized in Washington in 2012. The case went all the way to the Washington State Supreme Court where Waggoner argued the case based on First Amendment grounds. The court decided against Stutzman to which Waggoner responded:<ref name="kraemer">{{cite web|url=http://www.union-bulletin.com/news/courts_and_crime/richland-floral-shop-owner-wants-us-supreme-court-to-review/article_c39238f0-6b18-11e7-9f7b-57ddd74e1941.html|title=Richland floral shop owner wants US Supreme Court to review ruling|last1=Kraemer|first1=Kristen M.|date=17 July 2017|publisher=Union Bulletin|accessdate=23 August 2019}}</ref>{{quote|text=If the government can ruin Barronelle for peacefully living and working according to her faith, it can punish anyone else for expressing their beliefs. The government shouldn’t have the power to force a 72-year-old grandmother to surrender her freedom in order to run her family business. Anyone who supports the First Amendment rights that the U.S. Constitution guarantees to all of us should stand with Barronelle.}} The case was submitted to the United States Supreme Court for review.<ref name="kraemer" /> On June 25, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court [[Grant, vacate, remand order|granted the petition for a writ of certiorari, vacated the judgment, and remanded]] the case to the Supreme Court of Washington for further consideration in light of the ''Masterpiece Cakeshop'' decision.<ref>https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/062518zor_g3bh.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/06/25/cake-flowers-supreme-court-wont-hear-new-same-sex-wedding-case/706187002/ | title = First cake, now flowers: Supreme Court gives florist who refused to serve gay wedding a new hearing | first = Richard | last = Wolf | date = June 25, 2018 | access-date = September 5, 2022 | work =[[USA Today]] }}</ref> On June 6, 2019, the Washington Supreme Court unanimously ruled against Stutzman again, finding no evidence of religious animus.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gutman |first1=David |title=Washington Supreme Court rules once more against Richland florist who refused flowers for gay wedding |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/washington-supreme-court-rules-once-more-against-richland-florist-who-refused-flowers-for-gay-wedding/ |access-date=September 5, 2022 |work=[[The Seattle Times]] |date=6 June 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite court |litigants=State v. Arlene's Flowers, Inc. |vol=441 |reporter=P.3d |opinion=1203 |pinpoint= |court=Wash. |date=2019 |url=https://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/916152.pdf}}</ref> Stutzman's attorneys once again requested the U.S. Supreme Court to take her case,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://onenewsnow.com/legal-courts/2019/12/23/scotus-asked-again-to-take-christian-florists-case|title=SCOTUS asked – again – to take Christian florist's case|website=OneNewsNow.com|access-date=2020-03-07}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/19-333.html|title=Search - Supreme Court of the United States}}</ref> but certiorari was denied in July 2021.<ref>https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/070221zor_4gc5.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}</ref>▼

[[File:Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission Oral Argument.mp3|thumb|Audio recording of oral argument at ''Masterpiece Cakeshop.'']]▼

Stutzman opted to settle with Ingersoll in November 2021, paying him {{USD|5000|long=no}}, as she was getting close to retirement and wanted to stop accumulating legal fees related to the case. While she had filed a petition for rehearing in September 2021 to the Supreme Court, she withdrew it following the settlement.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/northwest/richland-florist-who-refused-same-sex-wedding-job-settles-with-couple/article_2156ca48-e7eb-57e7-ba31-4ccad7368ce3.html | title = Richland florist who refused same-sex wedding job settles with couple | date =November 18, 2021 |accessdate = November 22, 2021 | agency = [[Associated Press]] | work = [[Yakima Herald]] }}</ref>

====Arlene's Flowers====

Waggoner joined ADF in 2013 and moved to the firm's Scottsdale headquarters in 2014. Two cases--[[Arlene's Flowers]] and ''[[United States v. Windsor]]''—provided the impetus to join the firm. She said: "The right of conscience is critical to the existence of the country and is the first freedom that our other civil liberties are directly connected with. I wanted to be a part of that—that fight to preserve it for my children and my grandchildren." In her capacity as General Counsel Waggoner's duties include oversight of the U.S. Legal Division and Communications, which includes over 100 attorneys and staff who engage in litigation, public advocacy, and legislative support, as well as oversight of a nationwide network of 3,214 allied lawyers.<ref name=bio/><ref name="mcintyre" /> During her tenure ADF has been victorious as lead counsel in nine Supreme Court cases, including [[Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission]].<ref name="adf">{{cite web|url=https://www.adflegal.org/detailspages/biography-details/kristen-k.-waggoner|title=Kristen K. Waggoner Biography|publisher=Alliance Defending Freedom|accessdate=23 August 2019}}</ref>

Waggoner represented the florist in the [[Arlene's Flowers lawsuit|Arlene's Flowers Lawsuit]] when it was heard in the [[Washington State Supreme Court]], arguing the case on First Amendment grounds. The court ruled against her.<ref name="kraemer">{{cite web|url=http://www.union-bulletin.com/news/courts_and_crime/richland-floral-shop-owner-wants-us-supreme-court-to-review/article_c39238f0-6b18-11e7-9f7b-57ddd74e1941.html|title=Richland floral shop owner wants US Supreme Court to review ruling|last1=Kraemer|first1=Kristen M.|date=17 July 2017|publisher=Union Bulletin|accessdate=23 August 2019}}</ref>

▲Waggoner's most important case while at ELM was the [[Arlene's Flowers lawsuit|Arlene's Flowers Lawsuit]]. In 2013 florist Barronelle Stutzman declined to provide flowers for a same sex wedding based on her deeply held Christian beliefs. Same sex marriage was legalized in Washington in 2012. The case went all the way to the Washington State Supreme Court where Waggoner argued the case based on First Amendment grounds. The court decided against Stutzman to which Waggoner responded:<ref name="kraemer">{{cite web|url=http://www.union-bulletin.com/news/courts_and_crime/richland-floral-shop-owner-wants-us-supreme-court-to-review/article_c39238f0-6b18-11e7-9f7b-57ddd74e1941.html|title=Richland floral shop owner wants US Supreme Court to review ruling|last1=Kraemer|first1=Kristen M.|date=17 July 2017|publisher=Union Bulletin|accessdate=23 August 2019}}</ref>{{quote|text=If the government can ruin Barronelle for peacefully living and working according to her faith, it can punish anyone else for expressing their beliefs. The government shouldn’t have the power to force a 72-year-old grandmother to surrender her freedom in order to run her family business. Anyone who supports the First Amendment rights that the U.S. Constitution guarantees to all of us should stand with Barronelle.}} The case was submitted to the United States Supreme Court for review.<ref name="kraemer" /> On June 25, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court [[Grant, vacate, remand order|granted the petition for a writ of certiorari, vacated the judgment, and remanded]] the case to the Supreme Court of Washington for further consideration in light of the ''Masterpiece Cakeshop'' decision.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Court Orders |url=https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/062518zor_g3bh.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|datewebsite=March 2022www.supremecourt.gov}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/06/25/cake-flowers-supreme-court-wont-hear-new-same-sex-wedding-case/706187002/ | title = First cake, now flowers: Supreme Court gives florist who refused to serve gay wedding a new hearing | first = Richard | last = Wolf | date = June 25, 2018 | access-date = September 5, 2022 | work =[[USA Today]] }}</ref> On June 6, 2019, the Washington Supreme Court unanimously ruled against Stutzman again, finding no evidence of religious animus.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gutman |first1=David |title=Washington Supreme Court rules once more against Richland florist who refused flowers for gay wedding |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/washington-supreme-court-rules-once-more-against-richland-florist-who-refused-flowers-for-gay-wedding/ |access-date=September 5, 2022 |work=[[The Seattle Times]] |date=6 June 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite court |litigants=State v. Arlene's Flowers, Inc. |vol=441 |reporter=P.3d |opinion=1203 |pinpoint= |court=Wash. |date=2019 |url=https://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/916152.pdf}}</ref> Stutzman's attorneys once again requested the U.S. Supreme Court to take her case,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://onenewsnow.com/legal-courts/2019/12/23/scotus-asked-again-to-take-christian-florists-case|title=SCOTUS asked – again – to take Christian florist's case|website=OneNewsNow.com|access-date=2020-03-07}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/19-333.html|title=Search - Supreme Court of the United States}}</ref> but certiorari was denied in July 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Court Orders |url=https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/070221zor_4gc5.pdf |website=www.supremecourt.gov}}</ref> Stutzman opted to settle with Ingersoll in November 2021, paying him {{BareUSD|5000|long=no}}.<ref>{{cite URLweb PDF| url = https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/northwest/richland-florist-who-refused-same-sex-wedding-job-settles-with-couple/article_2156ca48-e7eb-57e7-ba31-4ccad7368ce3.html | title = Richland florist who refused same-sex wedding job settles with couple | date =MarchNovember 18, 2021 |accessdate = November 22, 2021 | agency = [[Associated Press]] | work = [[Yakima Herald]] 2022}}</ref>

▲[[File:Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission Oral Argument.mp3|thumb|Audio recording of oral argument at ''Masterpiece Cakeshop.'']]

[[Michael Farris (lawyer)|Michael Farris]], Presidnt and CEO of ADF, said this about selecting Waggoner to argue the high-profile case ''Masterpiece Cakeshop'': "She is exceedingly bright, winsome, the best communicator I’ve ever met in my life."<ref name="mcintyre" /> The case arose from a dispute between Jack Phillips, a baker, and a gay couple wherein Phillips refused to bake a cake for their same-sex marriage ceremony due to his deeply held religious beliefs. Constitutional questions arising from the potentially precedent-setting case concerned the First Amendment rights of free speech and free exercise of religion. The Court took oral arguments on December 5, 2017.<ref name="latimes">{{cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-court-gays-religion-20170626-story.html|title=Supreme Court will hear case of Colorado baker who refused to make wedding cake for same-sex couple|last=Savage|first=David|date=June 26, 2017|work=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|accessdate=23 August 2019}}</ref><ref name="scotusblogsept2017">{{Cite web|url=http://www.scotusblog.com/2017/09/wedding-cakes-v-religious-beliefs-plain-english/|title=Wedding cakes v. religious beliefs?: In Plain English|last=Howe|first=Amy|date=September 11, 2017|work=[[SCOTUSblog]]|accessdate=23 August 2019}}</ref> Regarding her presentation, [[David A. French]] of ''[[National Review]]'' wrote: "[Waggoner] strongly and clearly made the most vital point — the issue was the artistic message, not the identity of the customer."<ref name="french">{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/454377/four-promising-takeaways-masterpiece-cakeshop-oral-argument|title=Four Promising Takeaways from the Masterpiece Cakeshop Oral Argument|last1=French|first1=David|date=5 Dec 2017|publisher=National Review|accessdate=23 August 2019}}</ref> In 2018, Phillips prevailed in a 7–2 ruling.<ref name="Pryts">{{Cite news |url=https://www.sharonherald.com/news/local_news/lawyer-says-defending-religious-freedom-is-a-calling-from-god/article_dfd95a8c-126b-5f8c-b0b8-2ed0fb45d170.html |title=Lawyer says defending religious freedom is a calling from God |last=Pryts |first=Monica |date=April 5, 2019 |work=The Herald |access-date=August 23, 2019}}</ref>▼

====Masterpiece Cakeshop====

▲On October 1, 2022, Waggoner succeeded Michael Farris as CEO and President of ADF, retaining her role as General Counsel.<ref>{{cite web |title=ADF names new president, CEO|url=https://adflegal.org/press-release/adf-names-new-president-ceo|website=adflegal.org |publisher=Alliance Defending Freedom |access-date=5 September 2022}}</ref>

▲[[Michael Farris (lawyer)|Michael Farris]], Presidnt and CEO of ADF, said this about selecting Waggoner to argue the high-profileThe case ''Masterpiece Cakeshop'': "She is exceedingly bright, winsome, the best communicator I’ve ever met in my life."<ref name="mcintyre" /> The case arose from a dispute between Jack Phillips, a baker, and a gay couple whereinafter Phillips refused to bake a cake for theirthe same-sex marriage ceremony due to his deeply held religious beliefscouple. ConstitutionalThe questionscase arisingmade fromits theway potentially precedent-setting case concernedto the First[[Supreme Amendment rightsCourt of freethe speechUnited andStates|Supreme freeCourt]] exercise of religion. The Courtwhich took oral arguments on December 5, 2017.<ref name="latimes">{{cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-court-gays-religion-20170626-story.html|title=Supreme Court will hear case of Colorado baker who refused to make wedding cake for same-sex couple|last=Savage|first=David|date=June 26, 2017|work=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|accessdate=23 August 2019}}</ref><ref name="scotusblogsept2017">{{Cite web|url=http://www.scotusblog.com/2017/09/wedding-cakes-v-religious-beliefs-plain-english/|title=Wedding cakes v. religious beliefs?: In Plain English|last=Howe|first=Amy|date=September 11, 2017|work=[[SCOTUSblog]]|accessdate=23 August 2019}}</ref> Regarding her presentation, [[David A. French]] of ''[[National Review]]'' wrote: "[Waggoner] strongly and clearly made the most vital point — the issue was the artistic message, not the identity of the customer."<ref name="french">{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/454377/four-promising-takeaways-masterpiece-cakeshop-oral-argument|title=Four Promising Takeaways from the Masterpiece Cakeshop Oral Argument|last1=French|first1=David|date=5 Dec 2017|publisher=National Review|accessdate=23 August 2019}}</ref> In 2018, Phillips prevailed in a 7–2 ruling.<ref name="Pryts">{{Cite news |url=https://www.sharonherald.com/news/local_news/lawyer-says-defending-religious-freedom-is-a-calling-from-god/article_dfd95a8c-126b-5f8c-b0b8-2ed0fb45d170.html |title=Lawyer says defending religious freedom is a calling from God |last=Pryts |first=Monica |date=April 5, 2019 |work=The Herald |access-date=August 23, 2019}}</ref>

== Personal life ==

Waggoner is married to fellow attorney Benjamin Waggoner, who also graduated from Regent Law School in 1997. The couple has three children. The faith tradition to which she belongsShe is [[Protestantism in the United StatesPentecostalism|ProtestantPentecostal]]. One of her favorite places is [[Disneyland]], owing to fond childhood memories. Her office is adorned with Disney memorabilia and her phone ringtone is set to "[[Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah]]."<ref>{{cite name="mcintyre"web /><ref| nameurl="tubbs" /> She is a [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal]].<ref>https://www.getreligion.org/getreligion/2018/7/8/when-profiling-adfs-kristin-waggoner-why-not-include-facts-about-her-pentecostal-roots | title=When profiling ADF's Kristin Waggoner, why not include facts about her Pentecostal roots? | date=July 9, 2018 }}</ref>

== References ==

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Waggoner, Kristen}}

[[Category:1972 births]]

[[Category: Alliance Defending Freedom people]]

[[Category:American Pentecostals]]

[[Category:Northwest University (United States) alumni]]