Overview

• Oral arguments in Chiles v. Salazar are set for Tuesday, October 7, with the Court reviewing only the First Amendment claim after lower courts upheld Colorado’s law.
• Petitioner Kaley Chiles, represented by Alliance Defending Freedom, argues the law censors private counselor‑client conversations, while Colorado says it regulates harmful professional treatment.
• Colorado’s statute prohibits licensed mental‑health providers from performing conversion therapy on minors, with similar bans in 23 states and the District of Columbia.
• Major medical associations oppose conversion therapy as ineffective and harmful, and research cited by advocates links the practice to higher risks of suicide attempts among youth.
• Twenty states and D.C. filed briefs urging the Court to uphold such bans, and a ruling for the petitioner could threaten comparable protections nationwide.