An appeals court Friday reinstated a stay against a judge’s decision that blocked a Florida congressional redistricting plan.
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ congressional redistricting map, approved by the Florida Legislature and challenged by voting-rights groups.
– Original Credit: State of Florida
– Original Source: State of Florida (State of Florida / Courtesy photo)
TALLAHASSEE — An appeals court Friday reinstated a stay against a circuit judge’s decision that blocked a congressional redistricting plan pushed through the Legislature by Gov. Ron DeSantis, pointing to a “high likelihood” that the judge erred. The 1st District Court of Appeal, in a four-paragraph order, put on hold a temporary injunction issued last week by Leon Circuit Judge Layne Smith. His decision blocked a redistricting plan that the Legislature passed during an April special session. The state’s appeal of Smith’s decision triggered an automatic stay of the temporary injunction. But Smith followed up Monday by lifting the automatic stay at the request of voting-rights groups and other plaintiffs who have challenged the constitutionality of the plan. In reinstating the stay, however, the Tallahassee-based appeals court signaled that it did not agree with the temporary injunction.
“Based on a preliminary review, the court has determined there is a high likelihood that the temporary injunction is unlawful, because by awarding a preliminary remedy to the appellees (the plaintiffs) on their claim, the order ‘frustrated the status quo, rather than preserved it,’” the appeals court said, quoting a legal precedent.
