Louisiana judge dismisses lawsuit against AG Murrill on map

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — A 19th JDC judge dismissed the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus’s (LLBC) order to relieve Attorney General Liz Murrill from a strict defense of the statute that created a second Black-majority district.

On Monday, Judge Eboni Rose-Johnson granted the exceptions from Murrill and dismissed the writ of mandamus.

“This was the proper result. Our focus is on arguments in the United States Supreme Court and addressing the flaws in the court’s jurisprudence that deprive the Legislature of its constitutional duty over drawing maps,” said Murrill.

On Sept. 5, the LLBC sued Murrill, claiming she overstepped her authority in a case about the state’s congressional map. They argued that under Louisiana law, only the Legislature had the power to enact or suspend laws, and the attorney general’s duty is to defend them.

In 2024, lawmakers approved Act 2 after a federal court said that an earlier map likely weakened Black voting strength, violating the Voting Rights Act. According to the lawsuit, Murrill defended Act 2 in court and called it a “controversy-less matter.” But more recently, she changed her mind and argued that the map was unconstitutional.

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