CASE SUMMARY
On January 19, 2022, a group of Washington voters filed a federal lawsuit against Washington's Secretary of State, House Speaker, and Senate Majority Leader challenging the Washington State Redistricting Commission's approved legislative redistricting plan as violating the federal Voting Rights Act. Specifically, plaintiffs assert that the approved plan cracks Latino voters in the Yakima Valley region across multiple districts, resulting in the dilution of their voting strength in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Additionally, they allege that the plan was drawn to intentionally discriminate against Latino voters in violation of Section 2. They are seeking a judicial declaration that the approved legislative plan violates the VRA, a preliminary and permanent injunction barring the defendants from utilizing the plan in future elections, and a court order implementing a valid legislative plan that includes a majority-Latino district in the Yakima Valley region.
On April 13, 2022 the district court issued an order dismissing the claims against the House Speaker and Senate Majority Leader and denying the plaintiffs' request for a preliminary injunction, citing the Purcell principle that federal courts should refrain from interfering in a state's electoral processes in the period close to an election.
On August 10, 2023, the district court ruled in favor of plaintiffs and ordered the redistricting commission to reform and cure the Sec. 2 violation the court found to exist in the Commission's adopted legislative plan.
CASE LIBRARY
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, Tacoma - No. 3:22-cv-5035
- Complaint - 1/19/22
- Plaintiffs' Motion for Scheduling Conference - 2/3/22
- Defendants' Joint Response to Plaintiffs' Motion for Scheduling Conference - 2/9/22
- Order Regarding Initial Disclosures, Joint Status Report, and Early Settlement - 2/10/22
- Joint Stipulated Motion and Order to Extend Defendants' Time to Respond to Complaint - 2/16/22
- Defendant Steven Hobbs' Answer to Complaint - 2/16/22
- Order - 2/17/22
- Motion to Dismiss by Defendants Laurie Jinkins and Andrew Billig - 2/23/22
- Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction - 2/25/22
- Notice That Defendant Hobbs Takes No Position - 2/25/22
- Order - 3/7/22
- Defendant Steven Hobbs' Amended Answer to Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief - 3/9/22
- Joint Status Report - 3/10/22
- Plaintiffs' Opposition to Motion to Dismiss Defendants Laurie Jenkins and Andrew Billig - 3/14/22
- Defendant Secretary of State Steven Hobbs' Response to Defendants Jinkins and Billig's Motion to Dismiss - 3/14/22
- Reply in Support of Motion to Dismiss Defendants Laurie Jinkins and Andrew Billig - 3/18/22
- Notice of Related Case - 3/18/22
- Defendant Jinkins and Billig's Response to Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction - 3/21/22
- Defendant Secretary of State Steven Hobbs' Response to Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction - 3/21/22
- Declaration of Kathy Fisher in Support of Defendant Secretary of State Steven Hobbs' Response to Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction - 3/21/22
- Declaration of Stuart Holmes in Support of Defendant Secretary of State Steven Hobbs' Response to Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction - 3/21/22
- Motion to Join Required Parties - 3/24/22
- Plaintiffs' Reply to Defendants' Responses to Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction - 3/25/22
- Motion to Intervene - 3/29/22
- Defendants Jinkins and Billig's Response to Defendant Hobbs's Motion to Join Required Parties - 4/4/22
- Plaintiffs' Opposition to Defendant Secretary Hobbs' Motion to Join Required Parties - 4/4/22
- Proposed Intervenor-Defendants' Proposed Response in Opposition to Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction - 4/8/22
- Reply in Support of Motion to Join Required Parties - 4/8/22
- Plaintiffs' Reply in Opposition to Proposed Intervenor-Defendants' Proposed Response in Opposition to Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction - 4/8/22
- Plaintiffs' Response in Opposition to Motion to Intervene - 4/11/22
- Order Granting Motion to Dismiss and Denying Motion for Preliminary Injunction - 4/13/22
- Proposed Intervenor-Defendants' Reply in Support of Motion to Intervene - 4/15/22
- Order of Joinder - 5/6/22
- Order Granting Motion to Intervene - 5/6/22
- Amended Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief - 5/13/22
- Intervenor-Defendants' Answer to Complaint - 5/13/22
- Stipulated Motion and Proposed Order Extending Defendant State of Washington's Time to Respond to Amended Complaint - 5/20/22
- Stipulated Motion and Order - 5/23/22
- Defendant Steven Hobbs' Answer to Plaintiffs' Amended Complaint - 5/27/22
- Intervenor-Defendants' Answer to Amended Complaint - 5/27/22
- Defendant State of Washington's Answer to Plaintiffs' Amended Complaint - 6/17/22
- Plaintiffs' Opposition to Defendant State of Washington's Motion to Modify Scheduling Order and Extend Trial Date - 7/6/22
- Defendant State of Washington's Reply in Support of Motion to Modify Scheduling Order and Extend Trial Date and Related Dates - 7/8/22
- Stipulation of Voluntary Dismissal - 8/3/22
- Order - 8/14/22
- Intervenor-Defendants' Motion to Stay Proceedings - 10/5/22
- Plaintiffs' Opposition to Intervenor-Defendants' Motion to Stay - 10/17/22
- Defendant State of Washington's Response to Intervenor-Defendants' Motion to Stay - 10/17/22
- Intervenor-Defendants' Reply in Support of Motion to Stay Proceedings - 10/21/22
- Order Denying Stay - 10/26/22
- Intervenor-Defendants' Amended Answer to Amended Complaint and Crossclaim for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief - 11/2/22
- Plaintiffs' Designation of Experts - 11/4/22
- Plaintiffs' Motion to Bifurcate and Transfer, Strike, and/or Dismiss Intervenors' Crossclaim - 11/10/22
- Plaintiffs' Brief in Response to Request for Three-Judge Court - 11/14/22
- Statement of Defendant State of Washington RE: Plaintiffs' Brief in Response to Request for Three-Judge Court - 11/14/22
- Defendant Steven Hobbs' Answer to Intervenor-Defendants' Cross-Claim for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief - 11/16/22
- Intervenor-Defendants' Opposition to Plaintiffs' Motion to Bifurcate and Transfer, Strike, and/or Dismiss Intervenors' Crossclaim - 11/18/22
- Statement of Defendant State of Washington RE: Plaintiffs' Motion to Bifurcate and Transfer and/or Dismiss Intervenors' Crossclaim - 11/21/22
- State of Washington's Answer to Intervenor-Defendants' Crossclaim for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief - 11/23/22
- Secretary Hobbs's Response to Plaintiffs' Motion to Bifurcate and Transfer, Strike, and/or Dismiss Intervenors' Crossclaim - 11/23/22
- Plaintiffs' Reply in Support of Motion to Bifurcate and Transfer, Strike, and/or Dismiss Intervenors' Crossclaim - 11/25/22
- Stipulation of Voluntary Dismissal - 12/2/22
- Plaintiff Parra's Stipulation of Voluntary Dismissal - 12/6/22
- Plaintiff Aguilar's Stipulation of Voluntary Dismissal - 12/21/22
- Stipulated Motion and Proposed Order to Allow Depositions Out of Time and Extension of Written Discovery Responses - 12/29/22
- Intervenor-Defendants' and Cross-Plaintiffs' Renewed Motion to Stay Proceedings - 1/5/23
- Intervenor-Defendants' and Cross-Plaintiffs' Motion to Expedite Consideration of Renewed Motion to Stay Proceedings - 1/5/23
- Order - 1/9/23
- Plaintiffs' Motion to Enforce Subpoena of Jim Troyer or Alternatively to Extend Discovery Deadline for Compliance and Permit Deposition - 1/10/23
- Notice of Supplemental Authority Regarding Plaintiffs' Motion to Bifurcate and Transfer, Strike, and/or Dismiss Intervenors' Crossclaim - 1/10/23
- Plaintiffs' Notice of Withdrawal of Henry Flores's Expert Report - 1/11/23
- Plaintiffs' Opposition to Intervenor-Defendants' Renewed Motion to Stay - 1/12/23
- Intervenor-Defendants' and Cross-Plaintiffs' Objection and Opposition to Plaintiffs' Motion to Enforce Subpoena of Jim Troyer or Alternatively to Extend Discovery Deadline - 1/12/23
- Intervenor-Defendants' and Cross-Plaintiffs' Opposition to Plaintiffs' Notice of Supplemental Authority - 1/12/23
- Order Denying Request for Leave to Amend and Continuing Trial Date - 1/20/23
- Second Amended Order Setting Trial Date & Related Dates - 1/20/23
- Order Denying Renewed Motion to Stay - 1/20/23
- Non-Party James Troyer's Opposition to Plaintiff's Motion to Enforce Subpoena - 1/23/23
- Declaration of James Troyer - 1/23/23
- Declaration of Jeannie Gorrell - 1/23/23
- Declaration of Jesse L. Taylor - 1/23/23
- Declaration of Jessica L. Goldman - 1/23/23
- Reply in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion to Enforce Subpoena - 1/27/23
- Request for Inquiry Into Potential Conflicts of Interest - 2/14/23
- Plaintiffs' Motion to Extend Deadline for Deposition of Benancio Garcia III - 2/27/23
- Intervenor-Defendants' Cross-notice of Intention to Take the Continued Deposition of Benancio Garcia III - 2/27/23
- Plaintiffs' Response to State of Washington's Motion for Inquiry Concerning Potential Conflicts of Interest - 2/27/23
- Intervenor-Defendants' Response to Defendant State of Washington's Motion for Inquiry Concerning Potential Conflicts of Interest - 2/27/23
- Defendant Steve Hobbs's Response to Plaintiffs' Motion to Extend deadline for Deposition of Benancio Garcia III - 2/28/23
- Order Granting Plaintiffs' Motion to Extend Deadline for Deposition of Benancio Garcia III - 2/28/23
- Order Granting in Part Plaintiffs' Motion to Enforce Subpoena - 2/28/23
- Defendant State of Washington's Reply in Support of Motion for Inquiry Concerning Potential Conflicts of Interest - 3/1/23
- Order - 3/3/23
- Intervenor-Defendants' Notice of Conflict Affidavits Requested by Court - 3/9/23
- Order - 3/13/23
- Intervenor-Defendants' Response in Opposition to Defendant State of Washington's Motion to Strike Notice of Errata Corrections for Deposition of Benancio Garcia III - 3/20/23
- Defendant State of Washington's Reply ISO Motion to Strike Notice of Errata Corrections for Deposition of Benancio Garcia III - 3/24/23
- Order Striking Errata - 4/20/23
- Plaintiffs' Motion for Clarification Regarding Trial Schedule - 5/1/23
- Plaintiffs' Motion to Expedite - 5/1/23
- Plaintiffs' Notice Regarding Motion for Clarification Regarding Trial Schedule - 5/1/23
- Order Expediting Briefing Regarding Motion for Clarification - 5/2/23
- Defendant Steve Hobbs's Response to Plaintiffs' Motion for Clarification Regarding Trial Schedule - 5/9/23
- Declaration of Stuart Holmes in Support of Defendant Secretary of State's Response to Plaintiffs' Motion for Clarification Regarding Trial Schedule - 5/9/23
- The State of Washington's [...] Joint Response to Soto Palmer Plaintiffs' Motion for Clarification Regarding Trial Schedule - 5/9/23
- Non-Party Commissioners' Statement in Response to Court Order - 5/9/23
- Declaration of Aaron Millstein in Support of Non-Party Commissioners' Statement in Response to Court Order - 5/9/23
- Plaintiffs' Reply in Support of Motion for Clarification Regarding Trial Schedule - 5/10/23
- Plaintiffs' Praecipe Regarding Corrected Reply in Support of Motion for Clarification Regarding Trial Schedule - 5/10/23
- State of Washington's Trial Brief - 5/31/23
- Trial Brief of Defendant Steve Hobbs - 5/31/23
- Plaintiffs' Trial Brief - 5/31/23
- Intervenor-Defendants' Trial Brief - 5/31/23
- Plaintiff's and Intervenor-Defendants' Unopposed Motion for Leave to File an Over-Length Post-Trial Brief - 7/12/23
- Closing Statement of Defendant Steve Hobbs - 7/12/23
- Order Granting Plaintiff's and Intervenor-Defendants' Motion for Leave to File an Over-Length Post-Trial Brief - 7/12/23
- Memorandum of Decision - 8/10/23
- Judgment - 8/10/23
- Plaintiffs' Unopposed Motion for Extension of Time to File Motion for Fees and Bill of Costs - 8/17/23
- Order Granting Unopposed Motion for Extension of Time to File Motion for Fees and Bill of Costs - 8/21/23
- Notice of Appeal - 9/8/23
- Order - 9/15/23
- State of Washington's Status Report - 9/29/23
- Non-Party Legislators' Statement in Response to Court Order - 9/29/23