Here’s what happens next in Utah’s redistricting case, new deadlines ordered

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — On Monday, a judge specified additional deadlines for the Utah legislature and the group of plaintiffs who are currently battling over Utah’s court-stipulated redistricted congressional lines.

Hours after the Utah legislature approved Map C in a special session on October 6 as the map to submit to Judge Dianna Gibson for approval, and passed a

law requiring Gibson to use a three-test law in determining partisan symmetry, lawyers for the plaintiffs filed six additional claims to their lawsuit arguing that the new law again unconstitutionally impaired Proposition 4 without a compelling government interest.

The plaintiffs argue that the tests are “cherry-picked” to favor Republicans, while the GOP-led legislature maintains that the tests are objective and that the judge “invited” clarity on which tests to use in her initial ruling.

The plaintiffs want the law enjoined so that the tests wouldn’t apply to Utah’s new map.

Now, Gibson is requiring the legislature to reply to the arguments, and whether the judge should grant a preliminary injunction by Oct. 22, 2025. Then, the plaintiffs must respond to the legislature’s reply by Oct. 29.

Afterwards, the court will consider both motions for an injunction and the new claims in a hearing on Nov. 3.

These new deadlines are in addition to the previous schedule to evaluate the new map for compliance with Proposition 4, slated to happen on Oct. 23 and Oct. 24.

The entire schedule of briefs and hearings is listed below. All hearings will lead to a court decision by Nov. 10 so that Utah’s elections officials can start preparing district lines for the 2026 midterm elections:

• Friday, Oct. 17: Parties file briefs, expert reports, and other materials in support of respective map submissions and in opposition to any map submissions
• Wednesday, Oct. 22: The Legislature must reply to the plaintiffs’ claims that they impaired Proposition 4 again in passing S.B. 1011.
• Thursday, Friday, Oct. 23-24: In-person evidentiary hearing to determine whether the legislature’s map followed Prop 4 criteria
• Tuesday, Oct. 28: Parties file proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law with the court
• Wednesday, Oct. 29: Plaintiffs must reply to the legislature’s opposition that they did not impair Prop 4 with S.B. 1011.
• Monday, Nov. 3: Parties in court to argue over whether the legislature again unconstitutionally impaired Proposition 4 with S.B 1011.
• Monday, Nov. 10: It’s likely that Judge Gibson will need to rule on whether the Utah legislature impaired Prop 4 with S.B. 1011, and whether to grant a preliminary injunction. Additionally, this is the deadline for when state election officials must know which map can proceed as the new lines for the 2026 midterm elections.