Federal court challenge to Louisiana’s enacted state legislative maps as violations of §2 of the Voting Rights Act.

On Aug. 30, 2022, the court granted a motion to stay proceedings pending the Supreme Court’s resolution of Milligan v. Merrill.  After Milligan was decided on June 8, 2023, the court resumed proceedings.

On Feb. 8, 2024, after trial, the court struck down the maps as violations of the Voting Rights Act.  In so doing, the court rejected claims that the application of the VRA was unconstitutional, and also rejected claims that the VRA contains no private cause of action.  On appeal, on August 14, 2025, the appellate court affirmed that decision in its entirety.

While the appeal was pending, remedial proceedings continued.  Plaintiffs sought, but did not receive, an order for special elections under new maps before the next regularly-scheduled state legislative elections in 2027.  When the U.S. Supreme Court granted reargument in Louisiana v. Callais (the case concerning Louisiana’s congressional districts, race, and the VRA), the trial court stayed remedial proceedings pending the outcome of that decision.