Merrill v. Milligan: The Latest Threat to the Voting Rights Act

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When

Thursday, September 29, 2022 12:00PM - 1:15PM EDT

Where

Jenner & Block LLP

353 N Clark St
Chicago, IL
60654

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Event Details

Please join the American Constitution Society and the Southern Poverty Law Center for a briefing on the upcoming Supreme Court case Merrill v. Milligan.

The Alabama state legislature has consistently denied Black Alabamians the right to elect candidates of their choice. The state’s only majority-Black district was only first created in 1992, following a successful legal challenge under Section 2 of the Voting Right Act. On October 4, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Merrill v. Milligan, a redistricting case out of Alabama that will allow the Court, which has already substantially weakened the VRA over the past decade, to revisit and potentially further curtail the protections of Section 2 amid growing threats to our democracy.

How will the outcome of this case impact the future of political representation for marginalized communities, majority-minority districts, and litigation seeking redress of voting rights violations? What tools do courts have to rectify the dilution of Black voters’ electoral power, and other marginalized groups’ power, and what tools should they have to address this problem?

Featuring

Pema Levy, Reporter, Mother Jones (moderator)

Bradley E. Heard, Deputy Legal Director for Voting, Southern Poverty Law Center

Evan Milligan, Executive Director, Alabama Forward, and named respondent in Merrill v. Milligan

Samantha Kelty, Staff Attorney, Native American Rights Fund

Bertrall Ross, Justice Thurgood Marshall Distinguished Professor of Law and Director of the Karsh Center for Law and Democracy, University of Virginia School of Law

Jenner & Block COVID-19 Protocols

Jenner & Block is pleased to be able to have you in our offices!

Per Jenner & Block’s Health and Safety Policies, all visitors to the office must provide an attestation that they are either fully vaccinated or will take a COVID-19 PCR test prior to entering our premises. Visitors who cannot attest to being fully vaccinated or having a negative PCR test result will be asked to take a rapid COVID-19 test at our facility’s point of entry, which may take up to 30 minutes to complete. When prompted for the host information on the attestation form, please note our host is Shelia LeGrand and her email is This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

PLEASE ACCESS THE VISITOR ATTESTATION FORM BY CLICKING HERE. WE ASK THAT YOU PROVIDE YOUR RESPONSE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

The American Constitution Society is a State Bar of California approved CLE provider. This event has been approved for 1.0 hour of California MCLE credit. You can find CLE materials here.

Lunch will be provided.