Supreme Court rules in favor of Black Alabama voters

U.S. Supreme Court News

The Supreme Court on Thursday issued a surprising 5-4 ruling in favor of Black voters in a congressional redistricting case from Alabama, with two conservative justices joining liberals in rejecting a Republican-led effort to weaken a landmark voting rights law.

Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh aligned with the court’s liberals in affirming a lower-court ruling that found a likely violation of the Voting Rights Act in an Alabama congressional map with one majority Black seat out of seven districts in a state where more than one in four residents is Black. The state now will have to draw a new map for next year’s elections.

The decision was keenly anticipated for its potential effect on control of the closely divided U.S. House of Representatives. Because of the ruling, new maps are likely in Alabama and Louisiana that could allow Democratic-leaning Black voters to elect their preferred candidates in two more congressional districts.

The outcome was unexpected in that the court had allowed the challenged Alabama map to be used for the 2022 elections, and in arguments last October the justices appeared willing to make it harder to challenge redistricting plans as racially discriminatory under the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

The chief justice himself suggested last year that he was open to changes in the way courts weigh discrimination claims under the part of the law known as section 2. But on Thursday, Roberts wrote that the court was declining “to recast our section 2 case law as Alabama requests.”

Roberts also was part of conservative high-court majorities in earlier cases that made it harder for racial minorities to use the Voting Rights Act in ideologically divided rulings in 2013 and 2021.

Related listings

  • Adnan Syed’s lawyer appeals to Maryland Supreme Court

    Adnan Syed’s lawyer appeals to Maryland Supreme Court

    U.S. Supreme Court News 05/25/2023

    Adnan Syed’s lawyer asked Maryland’s highest court on Wednesday to overturn a lower court’s ruling that reinstated his murder conviction from more than two decades ago — after he was freed last year in a legal case that gained...

  • Islamic scholar acquitted of rape by Swiss court

    Islamic scholar acquitted of rape by Swiss court

    U.S. Supreme Court News 05/21/2023

    A Swiss court on Wednesday acquitted noted Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan on charges of rape and “sexual constraint,” citing lack of material evidence more than a decade after the alleged actions, contradictory witness statements and what ...

  • Senegal’s opposition leader gets suspended jail sentence

    Senegal’s opposition leader gets suspended jail sentence

    U.S. Supreme Court News 05/09/2023

    Senegal’s main opposition leader on Monday was given a six-month suspended prison sentence by an appeals court in the West African nation over a defamation case brought against him by a government minister.The court ruling against Ousmane Sonko...

The Law Offices of John M. Lynch, LLC - Our goal is to serve you and make your experience a pleasant one

Our firm founder John M. Lynch is a proven trial lawyer with a record of success in state and federal courts. His former service as a police investigator and federal drug task force agent enable him to see a case from all sides. He is routinely hired by other attorneys to assist with criminal cases. His peer recognition is also evident in the recognition that he has earned with Top 100 Trial Lawyers, AV Preeminent Rating and Super Lawyers. He has also been named as one of the Best Attorneys in St. Louis, a Rising Star in Missouri and a Rising Star in Kansas. His unique and broad -based experience has led to unparalleled success that include dismissal of charges, acquittal and markedly beneficial settlements.

Attorney John M. Lynch comes from a strong law enforcement background with a decade of experience as a police investigator and federal drug task force agent. Paired with his legal degree from St. Louis University School of Law, Mr. Lynch provides a unique and candid perspective for people charged with a full range of criminal activities.