Late yesterday, the New Jersey Supreme Court issued a stay pending appeal, which will allow New Jersey's 2003 state-legislative elections to proceed under the current districting plan.  That plan had been upheld by three-judge federal courts in Page v. Ba
rtels and Robertson v. Bartels and had resulted in the election in 2001 of record numbers of African-Americans, Latinos, and Asian Americans to the New Jersey Legislature.  But the plan had been struck down by the State's intermediate appellate court on J
anuary 22, 2003, because it divided Newark and Jersey City into three districts each, allegedly in violation of the New Jersey Constitution.  The Court has scheduled oral argument on the merits for April 28, 2003.

Here is a link to yesterday's ruling (including concurring and dissenting opinions):  http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/opinions/supreme/m728.pdf

Sam Hirsch

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Sam Hirsch
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