(from TXRedistricting.org)
The Supreme Court entered an opinion in the interim map appeal this morning, sending the case back to the San Antonio court for further proceedings.
The opinion is available here. The opinion was issued per curium (i.e. it was unanimous and issued on behalf of the court without a stated author).
The court held that the state’s maps should have been used as the starting point for interim maps but that the San Antonio court could adjust those maps if it found a likelihood of section 2 or other violations as a result of the case tried before it or if the court found a “reasonable probability” of section 5 violations.
Justice Thomas concurred with the result but said that he would have directed use of the state’s maps on an interim basis since his view is that section 5of the Voting Rights Act is unconstitutional.