Southwest is asking a federal judge to hold off on imposing his civil contempt order requiring three of its in-house counsel to undergo religious liberty training, saying the judge’s sanctions will irreparably harm the company’s and its lawyers’ reputations and will likely be overturned on appeal on First Amendment grounds.

U.S. District Judge Brantley Starr’s unusual order followed a jury’s verdict in favor of flight attendant Charlene Carter, fired for violating the airline’s employee civility policy when she texted her co-worker a picture of an aborted fetus along with the message, “This is what you supported during your Paid Leave with others at the Women’s MARCH in DC. … You truly are Despicable in so many ways.”

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