Pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 52(a), after hearing and carefully considering all the evidence, the Court issues this Opinion as its findings of fact and conclusions of law. The Court holds that SB 14 creates an unconstitutional burden on the right to vote, has an impermissible discriminatory effect against Hispanics and African-Americans, and was imposed with an unconstitutional discriminatory purpose. The Court further holds that SB 14 constitutes an unconstitutional poll tax. 

Defendants the State of Texas, Rick Perry (in his official capacity), John Steen (in his official capacity) and Steve McCraw (in his official capacity) move to dismiss all of the complaints filed in these consolidated cases. 

Plaintiffs Marc Veasey, Jane Hamilton, Sergio DeLeon, Floyd J. Carrier, Anna Burns, Michael Montez, Penny Pope, Oscar Ortiz, Koby Ozias, John Mellor-Crummey, Jane Doe, John Doe, League of United Latin American Citizens (“LULAC”) and Dallas County, Texas, (hereafter, the “Veasey-LULAC Plaintiffs”) respectfully submit this memorandum in opposition to the motion to dismiss filed on behalf of Defendants Rick Perry, John Steen, Steve McCraw and the State of Texas

Plaintiffs argue that the State of Texas has a long, notorious history of disfranchising voters by various methods and discriminating against classes of voters, especially on account of race and ethnicity. Senate Bill 14 of 2011 (“SB 14”) is another effort to achieve those unlawful ends. Accordingly, this suit seeks to enjoin SB 14 as a violation of the Constitution and laws of the United States, as applied to voters and prospective voters who lack one of the few photo IDs listed in SB 14.

The Campaign Legal Center, filed a brief on behalf of plaintiffs in Fairley v. Hattiesburg,urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to reverse the District Court’s erroneous and dangerous rejection of their Voting Rights Act challenge to the 2012 Hattiesburg City Council redistricting plan.  The brief argues that the redistricting plan violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act because it deprives Black voters of an equal opportunity to elect representatives of their choice on account of their race. 

The U.S. Supreme Court today unanimously held in Evenwel v. Abbott that all people count for the purpose of drawing voting districts, not just eligible voters.

Letter written by the Voting Rights Institute to the Department of Justice urging them to investigate Daphe City Council's reduction in the number of polling places and enactment of a new reidstricting plan that may dilute the influence of the Black community in Daphne, Alabama. 

In November 2015, the Supreme Court noted probable jurisdiction in this case.  Oral argument will be heard on March 21, 2016.  The Campaign Legal Center filed an amicus brief on behalf of the plaintiff-appellees. ​

The Campaign Legal Center (CLC) is representing voters in Quitman County, Miss. against a legal action seeking more than $300K in attorneys’ fees. Longtime civil rights attorney Ellis Turnage brought a lawsuit on behalf of two voters challenging the county’s redistricting plan. Before trial, plaintiffs decided to dismiss the case. The county then turned around and claimed the suit was “frivolous,” seeking attorneys’ fees against Turnage and his clients. 

The Campaign Legal Center (CLC) is representing voters in Quitman County, Miss. against a legal action seeking more than $300K in attorneys’ fees. Longtime civil rights attorney Ellis Turnage brought a lawsuit on behalf of two voters challenging the county’s redistricting plan. Before trial, plaintiffs decided to dismiss the case. The county then turned around and claimed the suit was “frivolous,” seeking attorneys’ fees against Turnage and his clients.