Case Summary

On September 7, 2016, the Alabama State Conference of the NAACP and four African-American voters filed a federal lawsuit against Alabama challenging the state’s at-large method of electing appellate judges as violating § 2 of the federal Voting Rights Act (“VRA”). They sought declaratory and injunctive relief barring the state from using the at-large election method and requiring a new method of election be implemented.

• The federal district court held a bench trial in November 2018.
• On August 9, 2019, the court ordered supplemental briefing for additional information on judicial elections in Alabama.
• On February 5, 2020, the court ruled in favor the defendants finding that the at-large method of election did not violate § 2 of the VRA.

Case Library

U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama - 2:16-cv-00731

• Complaint - 9/7/16
• Motion to Dismiss for Failure to State a Claim - 10/12/16
• Briefing Order - 10/18/16
• Plaintiffs’ Brief in Opposition to Motion to Dismiss - 11/16/16
• Defendants' Reply in Support of their Motion to Dismiss - 12/2/16
• Notice of Supplemental Authority - 4/14/17
• Order that Defendant's Motion to Dismiss is Denied - 8/31/17
• Answer to Complaint - 9/14/17
• Order on Parties' Joint Motion for a Status Conference - 9/18/17
• Uniform Scheduling Order - 9/29/17
• Motion to Quash or Modify - 11/27/17
• Order to Show Cause - 11/29/17
• Order on Motion to Amend or Correct - 1/8/18
• Amended Complaint - 1/9/18
• Order to Supplement Evidentiary Record - 8/9/19
• Post-trial Stipulations - 9/9/19
• Memorandum Opinion and Order on Daubert Motions - 2/5/20
• Memorandum Opinion and Order - 2/5/20
• Final Judgment - 2/5/20