An outdated law has spurred a constitutional challenge from a Pennsylvania Small Business Owner and Witch Beck Ravenswood (They/Them), filing under Rebecca Rios, and they have received a big win for Witches and Fortune Tellers everywhere.

In 2023, after police allegedly threatened to arrest them IN THEIR OWN STORE for tarot card readings. Soon after, Ravenwood filed legal action to change the archaic law. The judge issued an update in the case, which the state attempted to get thrown out.

@thestitchingwitch

I fear there is not a better description Edit: Yall you can’t hear what they’re saying in the original recording, which is why I wanted to record our interaction on my phone. It was denied by the chief, as was the request for a lawyer

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District Judge Jennifer Wilson, a federal judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, denied the requests to end the lawsuit, which Ravenswood filed in 2024. The decision opened an opportunity for them to challenge the constitutionality of a law from the 1800s, which criminalized charging money for fortune readings.

Ravenswood argued the practice is a form of economic speech, which is protected by the United States Constitution. However, the state argued the law is in place to prevent fraud, not to restrict a form of free speech.

Nonetheless, Ravenswood deemed the legal battle “the last Pennsylvania witch trial.”

The state’s argument was dismantled by Ravenswood and their attorney. While they don’t deny there are fraudsters out there, Ravenswood argued there are already laws in place to protect people that don’t also directly “tear into fortunetelling as a practice.” “It renders the fortune telling law redundant and makes it into something that could really only be used to oppress people.”

Alexa Gervasi, Ravenswood’s attorney, claimed the state’s actions undermine their allegation that the law’s enforcement was merely a fraud prevention effort. She said, “You can’t say you only use (this law) against people who commit fraud when you clearly threaten to enforce it against people like Beck, who inarguably was not engaged in any sort of fraud.”

“For me, freedom of religion is certainly part of this, but primarily it’s about freedom of speech,” Ravenswood said. “The idea that someone can come in and say, ‘Because you’re using cards, you can’t talk to people in your business,’ is a really big overstep.”

In a conference call between the parties on Wednesday, a discovery deadline was set for November 30th, and what the shop owner has cleverly taken to calling the ‘Hanover Witch Trial’ was added to the court’s calendar for June of 2027.

Judge Wilson’s nor the Police Chief of Hanover responded to interview requests.