FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS RELEASE
December 20, 2013
For More Information, contact:
Luther Strange
Joy Patterson (334) 242-7491
Alabama Attorney General
Claire Haynes (334) 242-7351
Page 1 of 1
AG STRANGE PRAISES COURT DECISION ON ALABAMA’S
NEW LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS
(MONTGOMERY) – Attorney General Luther Strange announced today that a
federal court has ruled that the new districts for the Alabama House and Senate do not
violate federal law.
The Attorney General’s Office presented evidence and legal arguments to a panel
of three federal judges over several days in August, and the court issued a 173-page
order and opinion today as the result of that trial.
Attorney General Strange said, “I am committed to protecting every citizen’s
right to vote for equal representation in state government. I have believed from the
beginning of this process that Alabama complied with all legal and constitutional
requirements in adopting the new district lines, and I am pleased that the court agreed
with our position that the new legislative districts are consistent with federal law.”
In 2011, the Alabama Legislature adopted new districts to account for population
shifts reflected in the 2010 census. After the Attorney General’s Office convinced the
federal Department of Justice to preclear the new districts, a group of citizens sued
under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and the Equal Protection Clause of the United
States Constitution, claiming that the new districts were racially discriminatory. A
special three-judge panel heard evidence in the case over several days of trial. Today
the panel concluded 2-to-1 that the new districts are not discriminatory and do not
violate the Voting Rights Act or the United States Constitution.
“This was a complex case that required skilled and talented legal counsel, and it
has been a top priority for my office. I am proud of the evidence we presented and
grateful for the attorneys who helped achieve this successful result,” said Attorney
General Strange. He commended Deputy Attorney General Jack Park and Assistant
Attorneys General Jim Davis and Misty Messick
The cases are: Alabama Legislative Black Caucus, et al., v. State of Alabama, et al., 2:12-
CV-691 (M.D. Ala.) and Alabama Democratic Conference, et al., v. State of Alabama, et al.,
2:12-CV-1081 (M.D. Ala.)
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501 Washington Avenue Montgomery, AL 36104 (334) 242-7300
www.ago.state.al.us
