Cano
Cano v. Davis
Opinion
Opinion
ORDER DENYING MOTION OF DEFENDANT JOHN BURTON AND INTERVENOR CALIFORNIA STATE SENATE REQUESTING ABSTENTION IN FAVOR OF PENDING STATE COURT ACTIONS
BACKGROUND
In September, 2001, the State of California adopted new state and federal legislative district lines based on the data obtained from the 2000 census. Soon thereafter, plaintiffs filed this action challenging the legality of four of those districts: two Los Angeles County congressional districts in the San Fernando Valley, one congressional district in San Diego County, and a State Senate district in south-eastern Los Angeles County. Plaintiffs claim that all four of these southern California districts violate § 2 of the Voting Rights Act, in that they deny Latinos the opportunity to elect representatives of choice. Plaintiffs also contend that the three challenged congressional districts violate the Equal Protection Clause, both because the districts were drawn with the intent to dilute the effect of Latino votes, and because the three congressional districts are racial gerrymanders that violate Shaw v. Reno, 509 U.S. 630 , 113 S.Ct. 2816 , 125 L.Ed.2d 511 (1993). Defendants deny all of plaintiffs’ claims.