Texas Congressional Districts Invalidated by Federal Court: News Coverage

Texas Congressional Districts Invalidated by Federal Court: News Coverage

Texas - Six years in the making, the federal district court panel released its opinion late last week in the long arduous litigation we call Texas Redistricting.  This 2-1 decision is only the beginning since it is in regard to the state legislature's 2011 map, which has since been replaced.  The court has yet to consider the 2013 map, which is in place currently, and the state legislative map for the lower house. What is the importance of this decision on a now defunct map? The court could require Texas to return to the preclearance regime, which was overturned in…
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Texas Three-Judge Court Cites “Voluminous” Record as Reason Why it Will Take Its Sweet Time on Texas Redistricting

Texas Three-Judge Court Cites “Voluminous” Record as Reason Why it Will Take Its Sweet Time on Texas Redistricting

San Antonio, Texas - Its the biggest, most watched redistricting litigation of the decade; but the Texas redistricting case(s) began in 2011 and no ruling has been forthcoming by the federal district court panel tasked to resolve it.  Plaintiff's recently filed a request for the court to make a final decision and the court responded this week with an epic list of just how in the weeds they are with the paperwork.  The judges wrote: "The Court continues to diligently work through this voluminous record and the complex legal questions presented in this case and will issue an opinion as…
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Weekly Redistricting Update

Weekly Redistricting Update

Florida: State Legislature Cries "Uncle," Gives Up On a Legislative District Map Last week the Florida Legislature ended its second special redistricting session without a map for state senate districts. Senate leaders are throwing the issue back to the court, and have proposed that the court have a special master draw the map. This "proposal" reflects many senators' disapproval of the court's handling of the congressional map redraw, which invited parties to the litigation to propose maps instead of having a more neutral party redraw the lines. A court hearing is schedule for December 14th.   Virginia: Supreme Court Will…
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Weekly Update

Weekly Update

Florida: Special Session for Redistricting Begins With its congressional map tied up in the courts, legislators in Florida have convened a another special session to redraw state senate lines in an effort to head off court invalidation. It is scheduled to last three weeks and state news organizations report it is likely to be a contentious one. You can view the current districts and 6 proposed map that have been unveiled so far.   Ohio: Redistricting Ballot Measure Not as Sexy as Other Issues Good government groups backing Ohio Ballot Issue 1 are up against widespread ignorance about the proposal.…
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Appeals Court Overturns Lawyer Fees in Texas Redistricting Case

Appeals Court Overturns Lawyer Fees in Texas Redistricting Case

AUSTIN, TX — A federal appeals panel has reversed a decision granting roughly $360,000 in legal fees to lawyers who helped former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis fend off Republican-drawn political boundaries as part of a yearslong court fight over Texas’ redistricting maps. Read more in the San Antonio Express. Read the Opinion here.
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