Walen v. Burgum: U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota — Order Denying Plaintiffs’ Motion for a Preliminary Injunction

A three-judge panel denied the plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction in a federal court challenge to the two North Dakota State House subdistricts that follow the boundaries of Reservations. The court ruled in favor of the defendants, including the MHA Nation who intervened to defend the subdistrict containing their Reservation, holding that the non-Native plaintiffs had not met their burden of proving that race was a predominate factor in drawing the district boundaries and that the public interest counseled against granting relief since North Dakota’s primary has already begun.