The Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund (FCDF) is a right-of-center public interest law firm that aims to protect individuals’ constitutional rights, especially relating to religious freedom, bioethics, and American values. Founded in 2012, FCDF uses impact litigation, educational programs, and policy advocacy to support individual freedom and suppress a secular liberal agenda. ¹

The Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund partners with other public interest legal organizations like Alliance Defending Freedom, Life Legal Foundation, and the Thomas More Society. ²

The Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund’s litigators Charles LiMandri and Paul Jonna are both partners at the law firm of LiMandri and Jonna LLP, which was paid over $1 million in attorney fees by FCDC in 2019; tax filings by Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund affirmed it paid the firm for “certain hourly costs for attorneys working on its cases at an agreed-upon rate that is below-market.” ³

Cases

In 2019, the Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund started its representation of Children of the Immaculate Heart (CIH) to vindicate the organization’s First Amendment rights. CIH claims that the California Department of Social Services refused to grant a license for the organization to open the Refuge, intended as a group home for sexually exploited girls, due to CIH’s religious beliefs. California mandates that to be licensed, CIH would need to admit transgender males into the home, provide gender-transition chemicals, and drive girls to get abortions, which all violate the religious beliefs about human sexuality held by Children of the Immaculate Heart. FCDC claims that the First Amendment protects CIH from discrimination and punishment by government officials for abiding by its conscience. ⁴

In 2017, the Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund began representing Cathy Miller of Tastries Bakery against a complaint made to the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH). Miller, a devout Christian, chose not to make a cake for a same-sex wedding in accordance with her religious beliefs, which DFEH claimed was in violation of California’s civil rights laws. FCDF argues that Miller’s First Amendment right to freedom of conscience prevents the government from forcing her to express messages that violate her religious convictions. ⁵

In 2016, the Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund took on the case of Skyline Wesleyan Church v. California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC). Skyline adheres to The Discipline of Wesleyan Church, which forbids abortion except in extremely rare cases where the mother’s life is in danger, and as such, provided a health plan for is employees that excluded elective abortion coverage. In 2014, DMHC, due to pressure from pro-abortion groups, mandated that it would be illegal to exclude or limit abortion coverage for all health plans. FCDF claims that this mandate directly violates Skyline’s First Amendment right to free exercise of religion, as it puts Skyline in the position of choosing between violating its religious beliefs about abortions or paying substantial fines. ⁶

Funding

The Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations. While FCDF does not disclose its donors, tax filings confirm donations from Donors Trust ($325,000 in 2016), ⁷ Alliance Defending Freedom ($183,133 in 2018), ⁸ and the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation ($100,000 in 2019). ⁹

People

Charles LiMandri is the founder of the Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund where he works as litigation counsel. LiMandri is the West Coast Regional Director at the Thomas More Law Center. ¹⁰

Paul Jonna works as litigation counsel for FCDF. Jonna formerly served as president of the Thomas More Society of San Diego. ¹¹

Jeffrey Trissell works as litigation counsel for FCDF and serves as the secretary of the Thomas More Society of San Diego. ¹²

Daniel Piedra is the executive director and a lawyer at FCDF. Piedra formerly worked as COO at the American Freedom Law Center and as the deputy director of communications and development at the Thomas More Law Center. ¹³

Board of Directors

Fred Clark is the president of FCDF and a trustee at the Institute for Family Studies, the Witherspoon Institute, and the Institute on Religion and Public Life. ¹⁴

1. “About Us.” Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund, 2017. Accessed January 25, 2022. https://www.fcdflegal.org/about-us/about/mission/.
2. “About Us.” Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund, 2017. Accessed January 25, 2022. https://www.fcdflegal.org/about-us/about/mission/.
3. Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund Inc, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2019, Schedule L, Part IV, Line 1a.
4. “Children of the Immaculate Heart v. Johnson, et al.” Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund, November 19, 2019. Accessed January 31, 2022. https://www.fcdflegal.org/cases/case-cih-v-johnson/.
5. “Same-Sex Couple Asks State of California to Punish Christian Cake Designer for Her Marriage Beliefs.” Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund, December 5, 2017. Accessed January 31, 2022. https://www.fcdflegal.org/same-sex-couple-asks-state-of-california-to-punish-christian-cake-designer-for-her-marriage-beliefs/.
6. “Skyline Wesleyan.” Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund, 2017. Accessed January 31, 2022. https://www.fcdflegal.org/cases/skyline-wesleyan/.
7. Donors Trust, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2016, Schedule I, Part II.
8. Alliance Defending Freedom, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2018, Schedule I, Part II.
9. Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2019, Part XV, Line 3a.
10. “Charles LiMandri.” Catholic Answers, 2022. Accessed January 28, 2022. https://www.catholic.com/profile/charles-limandri.
11. “Paul M. Jonna.” Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund, 2017. Accessed January 25, 2022. https://www.fcdflegal.org/team/paul-jonna/.
12. “Jeffrey Trissell.” Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund, 2017. Accessed January 25, 2022. https://www.fcdflegal.org/team/jeffrey-trissell/.
13. “Daniel Piedra.” LinkedIn, 2022. Accessed January 25, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielpiedra/.
14. “Board of Directors.” Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund, 2017. Accessed January 25, 2022. https://www.fcdflegal.org/board/.