Case Summary

On July 23, 2019, the Louisiana State Conference of the NAACP and two Louisiana voters filed a federal lawsuit against the State of Louisiana and its Secretary of State challenging the Louisiana Supreme Court’s redistricting plan as violating Section 2 of the federal Voting Rights Act (“VRA”). They sought a declaratory judgment that the plan was unlawful and an injunction barring the plan from use in future elections and requiring the state to enact a new, lawful plan.

  • The State initially filed a motion to dismiss arguing the district court lacked jurisdiction over the plan due to an ongoing consent decree previously issued by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana related to the Louisiana Supreme Court’s election districts. The district court denied the motion on June 26, 2020, and the State appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
  • On November 19, 2020, the Fifth Circuit agreed to hear the State’s appeal and oral arguments were held on June 10, 2021.
  • On September 17, 2021, the Fifth Circuit affirmed the denial of the motion to dismiss and sent the case back to the district court for further proceedings.
  • On July 19, 2022, the district court granted the parties’ request to stay the case so they could pursue settlement of the plaintiffs’ claims.
  • Settlement talks ended at an impasse and the case was reopened in June 2023. The plaintiffs filed an amended complaint on November 30, 2023.
  • Louisiana enacted a new supreme court map in late April 2024 and the parties then agreed to dismiss the case in June.
  • Appeals are ongoing regarding a dispute over attorneys' fees.

Case Library

U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana - No. 3:19-cv-479

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit - No. 20-90042

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit - No. 20-30734 (Allen v. State of LA)

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit - No. 24-30237