Callais v. Landry
Merit Brief
Once the Supreme Court has granted certiorari and agreed to review a case “on the merits,” each party files merits briefs. The merits briefs argue to the Court why each party should win the case. The Petitioner files the opening brief; the Respondent files a response; and the Petitioner files a Reply Brief.
What's at Stake
Whether the congressional map Louisiana adopted to cure a Voting Rights Act violation in Robinson v. Ardoin is itself unlawful as a gerrymander.
Summary
After the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision finding that plaintiffs in Robinson v. Ardoin were likely to succeed in proving that Louisiana’s congressional map violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, the Louisiana legislature enacted a new congressional map in January 2023 containing two districts with majorities of Black Voting Age Population.
On January 31, 2024, a group of white Louisianians challenged this new map as a racial gerrymander under the Fourteenth amendment. The Chief Judge of the Fifth Circuit assigned a three-judge panel to hear the case.
The Robinson plaintiffs, represented by the ACLU, ACLU of Louisiana, Legal Defense Fund, and Paul Weiss, sought to intervene to defend the map. While the motion was pending, the panel set the case for expedited trial in April 2024. The panel initially denied the motion to intervene except as to any remedial phase should the plaintiffs prevail, but on reconsideration, allowed the Robinson and Galmon plaintiffs to intervene in the liability phase in part, limiting involvement to presenting evidence as to whether race predominated in drawing the 2024 congressional map, and whether, if so, the map meets strict scrutiny. A trial on the merits was held in April 2024. On April 30, 2024, a divided panel of three federal judges overturned Louisiana's congressional map with two majority Black districts. The court held that the case's "non-African American voters" successfully proved that legislators improperly prioritized race when enacting the map during a special legislative session in January 2024. On May 8, 2024, Plaintiffs moved for a stay at the U.S. Supreme Court in order to block the district court's ruling and ensure that Louisiana voters had a map with two majority-Black congressional districts in 2024 elections.
UPDATE: On May 15, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court granted an emergency stay in Robinson v. Callais, which paused enforcement of the district court's decision to strike down Louisiana's map as a racial gerrymander. With the stay in place, Louisiana voters will be able to cast their ballots this November under the map with two majority-Black districts.
Legal Documents
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09/16/2024
Appellants' Brief Opposing Motion to Affirm -
09/03/2024
Plaintiffs' Motion to Dismiss or Affirm -
07/30/2024
Jurisdictional Statement -
05/15/2024
Order Granting Application for Stay -
05/14/2024
Reply in Support of Application of a Stay -
05/14/2024
Reply in Support of Emergency Application for Stay Pending Appeal of State of Louisiana -
05/13/2024
Response to Emergency Applications for a Stay Pending Appeal and for Stay of Injunction -
05/08/2024
Emergency Application for Stay of District Court's Injunction
Date Filed: 09/16/2024
Court: United States Supreme Court
Download DocumentDate Filed: 09/03/2024
Court: United States Supreme Court
Download DocumentDate Filed: 07/30/2024
Court: United States Supreme Court
Download DocumentDate Filed: 05/15/2024
Court: United States Supreme Court
Download DocumentDate Filed: 05/14/2024
Court: United States Supreme Court
Download DocumentDate Filed: 05/14/2024
Court: United States Supreme Court
Download DocumentDate Filed: 05/13/2024
Court: United States Supreme Court
Download DocumentDate Filed: 05/08/2024
Court: United States Supreme Court
Download Document-
05/02/2024
Plaintiffs' Opposition to Robinson Intervenors' Motion to Stay Pending Appeal -
05/01/2024
Robinson Intervenors' Memorandum of Law in Support of Motion for Stay Pending Appeal -
04/30/2024
Order Enjoining Louisiana Congressional Map -
04/17/2024
Robinson Plaintiff Intervenors' Post-Trial Brief -
04/17/2024
State of Louisiana's Proposed Findings of Fact -
04/17/2024
State of Louisiana's Post-Trial Brief -
04/17/2024
Defendant Nancy Landry's Post-Trial Brief -
04/17/2024
Plaintiffs' Proposed Findings of Fact -
04/17/2024
Robinson Plaintiff Intervenors' Proposed Findings of Fact -
04/17/2024
Plaintiffs' Post-Trial Brief -
03/15/2024
Order Granting Robinson Plaintiffs Leave to Appear at Trial -
02/27/2024
Robinson Plaintiffs Amicus Brief Opposing Preliminary Injunction -
02/27/2024
Response to Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction by Secretary of State -
02/26/2024
Order Granting Robinson Movants' Motion to Intervene as to Remedial Stage -
02/23/2024
Robinson Movants' Reply in Support of Motion to Intervene -
02/20/2024
State of Louisiana's Motion to Intervene -
02/14/2024
Plaintiffs' Response to Motion to Intervene and Motion to Transfer -
02/07/2024
Robinson Plaintiffs' Motion to Intervene -
02/07/2024
Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction -
01/31/2024
Complaint
Date Filed: 05/02/2024
Court: District Court (W.D. La.)
Download DocumentDate Filed: 05/01/2024
Court: District Court (W.D. La.)
Download DocumentDate Filed: 04/30/2024
Court: District Court (W.D. La.)
Download DocumentDate Filed: 04/17/2024
Court: District Court (W.D. La.)
Download DocumentDate Filed: 04/17/2024
Court: District Court (W.D. La.)
Download DocumentDate Filed: 04/17/2024
Court: District Court (W.D. La.)
Download DocumentDate Filed: 04/17/2024
Court: District Court (W.D. La.)
Download DocumentDate Filed: 04/17/2024
Court: District Court (W.D. La.)
Download DocumentDate Filed: 04/17/2024
Court: District Court (W.D. La.)
Download DocumentDate Filed: 04/17/2024
Court: District Court (W.D. La.)
Download DocumentDate Filed: 03/15/2024
Court: District Court (W.D. La.)
Download DocumentDate Filed: 02/27/2024
Court: District Court (W.D. La.)
Download DocumentDate Filed: 02/27/2024
Court: District Court (W.D. La.)
Download DocumentDate Filed: 02/26/2024
Court: District Court (W.D. La.)
Download DocumentDate Filed: 02/23/2024
Court: District Court (W.D. La.)
Download DocumentDate Filed: 02/20/2024
Court: District Court (W.D. La.)
Download DocumentDate Filed: 02/14/2024
Court: District Court (W.D. La.)
Download DocumentDate Filed: 02/07/2024
Court: District Court (W.D. La.)
Download DocumentDate Filed: 02/07/2024
Court: District Court (W.D. La.)
Download DocumentDate Filed: 01/31/2024
Court: District Court (W.D. La.)
Download DocumentPress Releases
Louisiana Congressional Map with Two Majority-Black Districts Set for 2024 Elections After Supreme Court Issues Emergency Stay
Case Heads to Supreme Court After Divided Three-Judge Panel Overturns Louisiana Congressional Map with Two Majority-Black Districts