Court Opinion

ID: 8760401
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-11-26 12:03:46.553847+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:01:31.580661
License: Public Domain

CRAVEN, Circuit Judge
(concurring).
The constitutional standard enunciated in Reynolds v. Sims, 377 U.S. 533, 84 S.Ct. 1362, 12 L.Ed.2d 506 (1964), is to legislative reapportionment what a hurdle is to a steeple chase: a minimum standard that must be cleared. How to clear it, so long as there is not gerrymandering for an invidious purpose, and by what optimum margin, are matters within the competence of the General Assembly. The court correctly decides that the plan of reapportionment adopted by the General Assembly of North Carolina is not in violation of the Constitution of the United States.
Since we do not sit to give advisory opinions, I would stop at that point, and neither deplore what has been done nor assume that something “better” lies ahead.

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