CASE SUMMARY
On June 28, 2021, a Virginia voter filed a federal lawsuit against Virginia’s Governor, Department of Elections, State Board of Elections, and various state officials challenging the state’s plan to use the state’s 2010-cycle legislative redistricting plans for the 2021 elections as violating the one person, one vote constitutional requirement. Citing a relevant 1981 Virginia federal court decision as precedent, plaintiff asked the court to declare the state’s legislative redistricting plans unconstitutional and issue an order limiting 2021-elected delegates to one-year terms and requiring a special election for the Virginia General Assembly be held concurrently with the 2022 general election.
- On October 12, 2021, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia dismissed the claims against the Governor and State Board of Elections as barred by sovereign immunity. The remaining defendants appealed this ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit six days later.
- On March 15, 2022, the Fourth Circuit remanded the case back to the district court to determine whether the plaintiff had Article III standing to pursue his claims.
- On June 6, 2022, the district court dismissed the case, finding plaintiff lacked standing. Plaintiff appealed to the Fourth Circuit on June 21, 2022, which affirmed the dismissal on July 21, 2022.
CASE LIBRARY
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division - No. 3:21-cv-420 [formerly Goldman v. Northam]
- Complaint - 6/28/21
- Summons - 6/28/21
- Amended Complaint - 7/6/21
- Defendants' Motion to Dismiss - 8/3/21
- Memorandum in Support of Defendants' Motion to Dismiss - 8/3/21
- Plaintiff's Motion for an Extension of Time to Respond to Defendant's Motion to Dismiss - 8/17/21
- Order - 8/18/21
- Motion for Leave to File an Amended Complaint for Declaratory Judgment - 9/7/21
- Order - 9/10/21
- Second Amended Complaint - 9/10/21
- Motion for Expedited Hearing - 9/10/21
- Order - 9/14/21
- Prospective Plaintiff Joshua Stanfield's Motion for Joinder as Plaintiff and Memorandum of Law in Support - 9/21/21
- Defendants' Motion to Dismiss Second Amended Complaint - 9/23/21
- Defendants' Memorandum in Support of Their Motion to Dismiss Second Amended Complaint - 9/23/21
- Scheduling Order - 9/24/21
- Defendants' Memorandum in Opposition to Prospective Plaintiff Joshua Stanfield's Motion for Joinder as Plaintiff - 9/29/21
- Response to Defendants' Motion to Dismiss - 9/30/21
- Order - 10/6/21
- Prospective Plaintiff Joshua Stanfield's Motion to Intervene and Response to Defendants' Memorandum in Opposition to Prospective Plaintiff's Motion for Joinder - 10/6/21
- Memorandum Order Denying Motion for Joinder - 10/6/21
- Memorandum Order Denying Motion to Intervene - 10/7/21
- Order - 10/8/21
- Defendants' Response to October 6, 2021 Order - 10/8/21
- Defendants' Response to October 8, 2021 Order - 10/9/21
- Memorandum Opinion - 10/12/21
- Order - 10/14/21
- Prospective Plaintiff Thomas' Motion to Intervene - 10/15/21
- Notice of Interlocutory Appeal - 10/18/21
- Order Staying Case - 10/20/21
- Motion for a Temporary Injunction - 11/19/21
- Defendants' Response to Plaintiff's Motion for Temporary Injunction - 11/19/21
- Order Denying Motion for Temporary Injunction - 11/23/21
- Motion for Reconsideration of Denial of Plaintiff's Motion for Temporary Injunction - 11/30/21
- Order Denying Motion for Reconsideration - 12/6/21
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit - No 21-2180 [interlocutory appeal]
- Docketing Notice - 10/20/21
- Briefing Order - 11/1/21
- Motion for Expedited Hearing - 11/15/21
- Motion to Compel Mediation - 11/15/21
- Response to Appellee's Motion for an Expedited Hearing and to Compel Mediation - 11/23/21
- Motion for Summary Judgment - 12/2/21
- Brief of Appellants - 12/6/21
- Joint Appendix - 12/6/21
- Brief of Appellee - 1/18/22
- Appellants' Response to Appellee's Motion to Supplemental the Record and Appendix - 1/28/22
- Order - 1/31/22
- Proposed Supplemental Appendix - 2/8/22
- Reply Brief of Appellants - 2/8/22
- Order Denying Motion to Expedite and Motion for Summary Judgment - 2/16/22
- Motion to Dismiss for Want of 4th Circuit Jurisdiction and Remand to the Three-Judge Court for Further Proceedings - 3/2/22
- Appellants' Response to Appellee's Motion to Dismiss the Appeal - 3/4/22
- Order of Remand - 3/15/22
- Order of Consolidation - 6/29/22
- Motion for Expedited Hearing - 7/6/22
- Order - 7/8/22
- Supplemental Brief of Appellant - 7/10/22
- Supplemental Brief of Robert H. Brink, et al. - 7/11/22
- Opinion - 7/21/22
- Judgment - 7/21/22
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division - No. 3:21-cv-420 [on remand]
- Scheduling Order - 3/21/22
- Notice of Additional Facts Relevant to Standing - 3/25/22
- Stipulation of Facts - 3/25/22
- Defendants' Motion to Dismiss the Second Amended Complaint for Lack of Jurisdiction - 4/1/22
- Defendants' Memorandum in Support of Their Motion to Dismiss the Second Amended Complaint for Lack of Jurisdiction - 4/1/22
- Defendants' Agreed Motion to Modify Motion to Dismiss Briefing Schedule - 4/11/22
- Order - 4/12/22
- Plaintiffs' Response to Defendants' Motion to Dismiss and Memorandum in Support - 4/18/22
- Affidavit of Plaintiff Paul Goldman - 4/18/22
- Motion to Introduce Supplemental Authority on an Issue Raised Again by Defendants - 4/21/22
- Motion to Produce Records Created by and in the Possession of the Department of Elections or the State Board of Elections - 4/21/22
- Defendants' Reply in Support of Their Motion to Dismiss the Second Amended Complaint for Lack of Jurisdiction - 4/25/22
- Surrebuttal in Opposition to Defendants' Motion to Dismiss - 4/26/22
- Order - 4/26/22
- Motion to Introduce New Supplemental Authority - 5/5/22
- Order - 5/5/22
- Memorandum Opinion and Order - 6/6/22
- Notice of Appeal - 6/21/22
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit - No. 22-1682
- Docketing Notice - 6/23/22
- Motion for Expedited Hearing - 7/6/22
- Order Denying Motion for Expedited Hearing - 7/8/22
- Supplemental Brief of Appellant - 7/10/22
- Supplemental Brief of Robert H. Brink, et al. - 7/11/22