Rhode Island redistricting case remanded for more factual development
The 1st Circuit Court of Appeals today vacated a decision to dismiss a lawsuit that claimed Rhode Island's legislative redistricting process was unfair to black voters.
The case was sent back to U.S. District Court in Providence, R.I., for further proceedings.
"The reason for our remand is to allow a fuller development of the evidence, and further legal analysis based on that evidence, before any final determination is made," the appeals court justices wrote. Two of the justices [sic] disagreed with the majority opinion. ...
The suit claims Rhode Island's plan to redraw state boundaries made it harder for voters in the newly-mapped District 2 to elect a black candidate in South Providence. The Senate map created a district that pitted Rhode Island's first and only black senator, Charles Walton, against Juan Pichardo, who was elected the state's first and only Hispanic senator. -- Appeals court vacates decision to dismiss R.I. redistricting lawsuit (AP via Providence Journal)
The case is Metts v. Murphy. Thanks to Sam Hirsch, Brenda Wright, and Sunil Kulkarni for sending me the opinion. You can download it here.
Here is the Lawyers' Committee press release on the decision.