Christian Ministerial Alliance v. Arkansas, State of

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS CENTRAL DIVISION THE CHRISTIAN MINISTERIAL ALLIANCE, et al. PLAINTIFFS Vv. NO. 4:19-cv-402 STATE OF ARKANSAS, et al. DEFENDANTS ORDER Pending are Plaintiffs’ motion for partial summary judgment (Doc. 88) and Defendants’ motion for summary judgment (Doc. 91). On January 3, 2022, the Court announced in a phone conference that these motions were denied. This order memorializes that decision for the record, though the bench trial is underway. The Court finds that genuine issues of material fact prevented judgment from being entered for either party. “Vote dilution claims are ‘peculiarly dependent upon the facts of each case,’ requiring ‘an intensely local appraisal of the design and impact of the contested electoral mechanisms.’ Cottier v. City of Martin, 604 F.3d 553, 559 (8th Cir. 2010) (quoting Gingles, 478 U.S. at 79). Therefore, Plaintiffs’ motion for partial summary judgment and Defendants’ motion for summary judgment are denied. IT IS SO ORDERED this 2nd day of May, 2022.

United States District Judge