Nearly a year after hearing arguments on appeal, the N.C. Supreme Court today ruled that the legislative and congressional district maps drawn by the 2011 General Assembly satisfied the state and federal constitutions, ending a bitter fight led by a host of civil-rights organizations and left-leaning advocacy groups.
In a press release, Sen. Bob Rucho, R-Mecklenburg, and Rep. David Lewis, R-Harnett, who chair the two General Assembly chambers’ redistricting panels, said:
“Today’s decision confirms that our redistricting process and maps are what we have said all along: fair and legal.
“We are proud to have broken the cycle set by previous legislatures that repeatedly saw their maps tossed out by the courts as illegal. We hope today’s decision will finally put to rest the hyperpartisan rhetoric parroted by our opponents out of political spite.”
That final wish isn’t happening. The plaintiffs say they will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review the decision for a possible appeal.
Justice Bob Edmunds wrote the majority opinion, joined by Chief Justice Mark Martin and associate justices Barbara Jackson and Paul Newby. Justices Cheri Beasley and Robin Hudson concurred with part of the opinion and dissented in part. Justice Bob Hunter did not participate in the consideraton of the case or the opinion (text here).
