The 1st District Court of Appeal will hear arguments Oct. 31 in the state’s appeal of a ruling that a congressional redistricting plan violated the Florida Constitution.
The Tallahassee-based appeals court issued a notice this week scheduling the arguments. It will hold what is known as an “en banc” hearing of the full court, rather than using the typical process of a three-judge panel hearing arguments.
The case was appealed after Leon County Circuit Judge J. Lee Marsh sided with voting-rights groups and ruled Sept. 2 that the redistricting plan, pushed through the Legislature last year by Gov. Ron DeSantis, was unconstitutional.
The case centers on a North Florida district that in the past elected Black Democrat Al Lawson but was overhauled in the redistricting process.
White Republicans won all North Florida congressional districts in the November 2022 elections.
Attorneys for the state and the voting-rights groups last month said in a filing that they would like a ruling from the appeals court by Nov. 22.
That would give time for lawmakers to pass a new redistricting plan, if necessary, during the legislative session that will start in January.
“A ruling by November 22 will also provide time for either party to seek Florida Supreme Court review and for the Florida Supreme Court to render a decision in time for the Legislature to take up any remedial plan, if necessary, during the 2024 regular legislative session, and before the Legislature’s scheduled adjournment on March 8, 2024,” the filing said.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
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