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Alabama | Congress

Singleton v. Merrill

Last Updated Jul 11, 2024
Case No. 2:21-cv-01291 (N. D. Ala.)
Cycle 2020

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Case Information

** This challenge was consolidated with Milligan v. Merrill, but only for preliminary injunctive claims. **

A federal court challenge to Alabama’s congressional districts as malapportioned and racially gerrymandered, later amended to allege intentional discrimination once new congressional districts were drawn in 2021.

On Jan. 24, 2022, the three-judge trial court granted a preliminary injunction to the Milligan plaintiffs on their their VRA claim, but reserved ruling on the Singleton plaintiffs’ constitutional claim; that preliminary injunction was appealed to the Supreme Court and affirmed.

On remand, the state drew a new congressional plan on July 21, 2023; the three-judge trial court rejected that plan on VRA grounds on Sept. 5, 2023, and directed a special master to draw a remedial map.  On Oct. 5, 2023, the court ordered the implementation of one of the remedial maps recommended by the special master.  These rulings were pursuant to a preliminary injunction on VRA grounds; the court again reserved ruling on the Singleton plaintiffs’ constitutional claim.

On Jan. 31, 2024, plaintiffs filed an amended complaint, alleging that the state’s 2023 enacted map violates the VRA, unjustifiably allows race to predominate, and was the product of intentional racial discrimination.

History

Case filings, starting with most recent court
    Name Last Modified
Document icon 2d amd. complaint Jan 31, 2024
Document icon Motion to dismiss Feb 14, 2024
Document icon Opposition Mar 7, 2024
Document icon US statement of interest Mar 14, 2024
Document icon Reply Mar 21, 2024
Highlighted document Document icon Opinion denying motion to dismiss Jul 11, 2024

Map | Challenged 2021 congressional map

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Map | Challenged remedial map

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