October Term 2018 · Docket 18-422
Can courts fix partisan gerrymanders?
Appellants seek dismissal of partisan gerrymandering claims. Appellees seek judicial review of North Carolina maps.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Appellants claim the Court failed to find a justiciable standard.
Appellees assert the maps represent extreme partisan rigging.
justice_sotomayor_questioned_if_tests_address_proportionate_representation
justice_ginsburg_questioned_if_party_affiliation_reduces_vote_weight
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 17-23 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 17-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 31-13 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 31-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 33-34 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 33-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 15-36 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 15-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 7-12 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 7-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 18-20 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 18-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 22-25 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 22-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 39, lines 23-6 — Transcript, file page 39, lines 23-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-7 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 8-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 8-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 12-26 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 12-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 15-22 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 15-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-23 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 16-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 32-26 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 32-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 28-20 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 28-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-36 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 33-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 25-34 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 25-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 12-18 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 12-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 21-27 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 21-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 30-36 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 30-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 30-18 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 30-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 23-30 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 23-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 11-12 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 11-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 17-31 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 17-31
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests whether federal courts can resolve partisan gerrymandering disputes. The parties disagree on the existence of a manageable legal standard.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 39, lines 23-6 — Transcript, file page 39, lines 23-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-7 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 15-22 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 15-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 32-26 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 32-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 30-18 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 30-18
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 26, 2019.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 8-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 8-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 11-12 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 11-12
What each side wants
Appellants want the Supreme Court to dismiss the case as non-justiciable.
Appellees want the Supreme Court to uphold the lower court's review.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 39, lines 23-6 — Transcript, file page 39, lines 23-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-7 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 15-22 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 15-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 32-26 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 32-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 30-18 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 30-18
What each side says
Appellants argue no manageable standard exists for partisan gerrymandering claims.
Appellees argue courts can review maps using established legal principles.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 39, lines 23-6 — Transcript, file page 39, lines 23-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-7 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 15-22 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 15-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 32-26 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 32-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 30-18 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 30-18
What the justices asked
Justice Sotomayor asked if proposed tests address proportionate representation.
Justice Ginsburg asked if party affiliation reduces a vote's equal weight.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 17-23 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 17-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 31-13 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 31-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 33-34 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 33-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 15-36 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 15-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 7-12 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 7-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 18-20 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 18-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 22-25 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 22-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 12-26 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 12-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-23 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 16-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 28-20 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 28-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-36 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 33-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 25-34 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 25-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 12-18 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 12-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 21-27 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 21-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 30-36 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 30-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 23-30 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 23-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 11-12 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 11-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 17-31 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 17-31
Why it matters
This dispute defines the role of courts in redistricting. It determines whether partisan map challenges remain in the political sphere.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 39, lines 23-6 — Transcript, file page 39, lines 23-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-7 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 15-22 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 15-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 32-26 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 32-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 30-18 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 30-18
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 17-23 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 17-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 31-13 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 31-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 33-34 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 33-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 15-36 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 15-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 7-12 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 7-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 18-20 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 18-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 22-25 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 22-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 8-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 8-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 12-26 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 12-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-23 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 16-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 28-20 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 28-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-36 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 33-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 25-34 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 25-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 12-18 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 12-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 21-27 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 21-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 30-36 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 30-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 23-30 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 23-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 11-12 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 11-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 17-31 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 17-31
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 39, lines 23-6 — Transcript, file page 39, lines 23-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-7 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 15-22 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 15-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 32-26 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 32-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 30-18 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 30-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 39, lines 23-6 — Transcript, file page 39, lines 23-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-7 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 15-22 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 15-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 32-26 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 32-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 30-18 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 30-18
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.