Listen to Supreme Court Oral Argument in the Maryland Partisan Gerrymandering Case

By Michelle DavisApr 25, 2019

On March 26, the Supreme Court heard oral argument in Benesik v. Lamone, a partisan gerrymandering case from Maryland. Click here for background on this case and its companion case, Rucho v. Common Cause (North Carolina). For a pre oral symposium hosted by SCOTUSBlog, click here. Click here to listen to oral argument for Rucho v. Common Cause.

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MD and NC Partisan Gerrymandering Cases Return to the U.S. Supreme Court

By Michelle DavisJan 08, 2019

On January 4th, the U.S. Supreme Court took up two long-standing partisan gerrymandering challenges on appeal from two federal district courts; one in Maryland and the other in North Carolina. The question in both of these cases was not whether there was partisan gerrymandering in the making of these maps. Instead it was whether this type of partisan gerrymandering is constitutional or not. The high court has seemed to duck and weave whenever it has been presented with this question in the past, but this time it feels different. Below is a little background to provide some context for the…

LAW, NEWS, Partisan Gerrymandering, Redistricting, Redistricting Gerrymanders, Uncategorized1st Amendment, legal, Maryland, North Carolina, northcarolina, partisan gerrymandering, scotus, Supreme Court

Maryland’s Sixth District Ruled a Partisan Gerrymander by Federal District Court

By Michelle DavisNov 14, 2018

On November 7th, after managing a protracted series of procedural issues involving a lawsuit that was initially filed in 2013, a federal district court panel invalidated Maryland's 6th congressional district on grounds that it was an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander. Maryland has until early March 2019 to enact a new congressional map or the court will create its own commission to do so. This case is notable since the court overturned the map on 1st amendment grounds instead of the 14th amendment, which until recently had been the basis for most if not all partisan gerrymandering challenges. (more…)

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Supreme Court Decides Procedural Issue in Maryland Partisan Gerrymandering Case

By EditorJul 09, 2018

Maryland (Benisek v. Lamone): This case was a procedural matter brought before the Supreme Court on the question of whether a federal district court should have denied a preliminary injunction against Maryland’s 2011 congressional map. The Supreme Court affirmed the lower court’s decision denying the plaintiff’s request to enjoin the use of the map for the upcoming 2018 midterm elections, noting that ruling was not an abuse of discretion. . This ruling returns the challenge back to the district court to proceed with a trial on the merits of this 1st amendment based challenge to Maryland’s sixth congressional district, a…

Redistricting Gerrymanders, Redistricting LitigationBenisek, Lamone, Maryland, partisan gerrymandering, Supreme Court

Supreme Court Mostly Befuddled in Oral Argument Over Maryland Partisan Gerrymandering Case

By EditorMar 29, 2018

Washington D.C. - This Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in one of the three partisan gerrymandering cases before the court this term (Benesik v. Lamone). The transcript is available here. In this novel first amendment challenge to Maryland's sixth congressional district, the court appears to remain befuddled at how to apply neutral standards when measuring just how much political gerrymandering is too much, although almost all of the justices seem to agree that Maryland's sixth district is "too much." (more…)

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Maryland Judge Orders Legislative Leaders to Testify in Partisan Gerrymandering Case

By EditorFeb 02, 2017

Maryland - Nearly four years after Bethesda, Md. resident Stephen M. Shapiro and other Maryland voters filed a partisan gerrymandering lawsuit against Maryland's congressional district map, a judge has ordered the Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates and the President of the Maryland Senate to testify in the case and turn over documents, rejecting claims of legislative privilege. Shapiro's case has wound its way through the courts from its initial filing in 2013, you can read the original complaint here. A district court judge dismissed the case but Shapiro won his appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled…

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Judicial Watch to Defend Voters Challenging Constitutionality of Maryland’s Congressional Redistricting Maps

By EditorJul 12, 2016

WASHINGTON, DC--( July 08, 2016) - A special, three-judge panel will consider a constitutional challenge to Maryland's gerrymandered congressional district map on Tuesday, July 12. Judicial Watch Attorney Robert Popper will appear before the panel on behalf of voters from each of Maryland's eight congressional districts. The plaintiffs challenging Maryland's congressional district plan include Maryland Delegates Neil C. Parrott and Matt Morgan, and former Maryland legislator and gubernatorial candidate Ambassador Ellen Sauerbrey. Judicial Watch filed the lawsuit on June 24, 2015, in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland against Maryland's state administrator of elections and the…

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