CASE SUMMARY

On November 3, 2021, the Mexican American Legislative Caucus (“MALC”) of the Texas House of Representatives filed a state lawsuit against Texas’s Governor and Secretary of State challenging the state’s enacted Texas House redistricting plan as excessively dividing counties in violation of the Texas Constitution’s “county line rule.” They sought an injunction barring the plan from use in future elections and for the court to require the adoption of a new, lawful state House plan.

  • In November 2021, the Travis County District Court consolidated this case with another challenge to Texas’s legislative redistricting plans, Gutierrez v. Texas.
  • On December 22, 2021, the district court denied the plaintiffs’ requested temporary injunction as well as the defendants’ motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction except as to the Gutierrez plaintiffs’ injunctive relief claims. The state defendants filed their notice of appeal to the Texas Supreme Court five days later.
  • The Texas Supreme Court held oral arguments on March 23, 2022.
  • On June 24, 2022, the Texas Supreme Court reversed, dismissed the MALC plaintiffs’ claims for lack of associational standing and remanded the case to allow the Gutierrez plaintiffs to replead their one valid claim.

CASE LIBRARY

Texas District Court, Travis County - No. D-1-GN-21-006515 [together with No. D-1-GN-21-006898]

Texas Supreme Court - No. 22-0008