5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reverses coalition formation for minority groups in redistricting cases under the Voting Rights Act.

5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed a decades-old precedent allowing distinct minority groups to form coalitions in redistricting cases under the Voting Rights Act. The ruling, which was met with dissent from five judges nominated by Democratic presidents, narrowed the scope of the Voting Rights Act for redistricting cases in the South, affecting Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The decision reverses a previous precedent that allowed multiple minority groups to join together in challenges to redistricting plans alleged to be discriminatory under the Voting Rights Act. Critics argue that the majority's decision effectively dismantles the effectiveness of the Voting Rights Act in the circuit, leaving four decades of precedent undermined.

August 02, 2024
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