The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday ordered lower courts to reconsider a Voting Rights Act case brought by Native American tribes, revisiting a closely watched ruling on how the Civil Rights-era law is enforced, as liberal Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, arguing the court should have outright reversed the lower court decisions.
Read more Pistons’ Cade Cunningham Sends Blunt Message After Game 7 Loss
It follows a recent high court ruling narrowing voting rights protections, raising the bar for legal challenges to election maps.
The cases affect Native American voters and others nationwide, with courts now reassessing whether private groups can continue bringing key voting rights lawsuits.
What is the Voting Rights Act Case Brought by Native American Tribes?
The justices sent back a North Dakota dispute after the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that only the federal government—not voters or advocacy groups—can sue under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, breaking with long-standing precedent.
Advocacy groups have historically filed most lawsuits under Section 2, making the appeals court’s finding a major shift in enforcement of the law.
The Supreme Court had previously blocked the ruling, allowing the tribes’ preferred legislative maps to stay in place temporarily.
Read more Old Farmer’s Almanac Predicts Memorial Day Weather in Each State
The justices also ordered reconsideration of a related Mississippi case where similar arguments were raised.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, arguing both rulings should have been reversed.
“This case presents only the question of Section 2’s private enforceability, which our decision in Louisiana v. Callais … did not address,” Jackson wrote. “Thus I see no basis for vacating the lower court’s judgment.”
The latest action comes after the court’s April decision striking down a majority-Black congressional district in Louisiana, which limited the use of race in redistricting and made future voting rights claims harder to win.
Read more Jaylen Brown Calls for Stephen A. Smith’s Retirement After Escalating Feud
This is a breaking news article. Updates to follow.
