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Page Number: 9

4 

MOORE v. HARPER 

Opinion of the Court 

see Harper I, 380 N. C., at 360–361, 868 S. E. 2d, at 532– 
533.  But “simply because the Supreme Court has concluded 
partisan gerrymandering claims are nonjusticiable in fed-
eral  courts,”  the  court  explained,  “it  does  not  follow  that
they  are  nonjusticiable  in  North  Carolina  courts.”  Id.,  at 
361,  868  S. E.  2d,  at  533.    The  State  Supreme  Court  also
rejected the argument that the Elections Clause in the Fed-
eral Constitution vests exclusive and independent author-
ity in state legislatures to draw congressional maps.  Id., at 
390–391, 868 S. E. 2d, at 551–552. 

After  holding  that  the  2021  districting  maps  “substan-
tially  infringe  upon  plaintiffs’  fundamental  right  to  equal 
voting  power,”  the  Court  struck  down  the  maps  and  re-
manded the case to the trial “court to oversee the redrawing
of  the  maps  by  the  General  Assembly  or,  if  necessary,  by 
the court.”  Id., at 403, 868 S. E. 2d, at 559.  The Court en-
tered  judgment  on  February  15,  2022.  Harper  v.  Hall, 
No. 413PA21,  App.  to  Pet.  for  Cert.  306–309.    Two  days 
later,  the  General  Assembly  adopted  a  remedial  congres-
sional redistricting plan.  See 2022 N. C. Sess. Laws p. 3, 
§2.  But the trial court rejected that plan and adopted in its
place  interim  maps  developed  by  several  Special  Masters
for use in the 2022 North Carolina congressional elections. 
North Carolina League of Conservation Voters, Inc. v. Rep-
resentative  Destin  Hall,  21  CVS  015426  etc.  (Super.  Ct. 
Wake  Cty.,  N. C.,  Feb.  23,  2022),  App.  to  Pet.  for  Cert. 
278a–279a, aff ’d in part, rev’d in part, and remanded, Har-
per v. Hall, 383 N. C. 89, 881 S. E. 2d 156 (2022) (Harper 
II ).

On February 25, 2022, the legislative defendants filed an
emergency  application  in  this  Court,  citing  the  Elections 
Clause  and  requesting  a  stay  of  the  North  Carolina  Su-
preme Court’s decision.  We declined to issue emergency re-
lief but later granted certiorari.  597 U. S. ___ (2022).