Supreme Court schedules hearing for Louisiana redistricting case

Desmond Milligan · August 13

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — The Louisiana Attorney General announced that the United States Supreme Court set a date to hear rearguments in the state’s redistricting case.

AG Liz Murrill shared that the Court scheduled the reargument for Wednesday, Oct. 15. Louisiana Solicitor General Ben Aguiñaga will argue the case on behalf of the state.

She added that the state’s brief is due in two weeks.

Timeline of the Case

In January 2024, the Louisiana legislature approved a new congressional map that created a second majority-Black district.

That same month, a group of non-Black voters filed a lawsuit in the Western District of Louisiana, claiming that the map didn’t meet the Equal Protection Clause requirements and said the layout was an “impermissible racial gerrymander.” A three-judge panel decided to throw out the new map, as it cuts the 4th district, covering western Louisiana, in half with the 6th district.

In May 2024, the lawsuit was headed to the Supreme Court, where it was granted an emergency stay, allowing the state to use the new map for the 2024 elections.

By November 2024, the Supreme Court granted certiorari in the state’s appeal.

The first oral arguments were heard on March 24, 2025. The Supreme Court was divided on its decision. Some justices suggested throwing out the map and making it harder to bring redistricting lawsuits under the Voting Rights Act.

On June 27, the Supreme Court ordered a re-argument, asking for additional clarity on constitutional questions, including whether the district could violate the 14th or 15th Amendments.

Both parties were ordered to file briefs on Aug. 1. The Appellants must submit the briefs by Aug. 27.

Louisiana officials react after US Supreme Court delays ruling on state’s congressional map