Connection lost
Server error
RUCHO v. COMMON CAUSE Case Brief
Why Top Law Students (And Those Aspiring to Be) Use LSD+ Briefs
Let's be real, law school is a marathon. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full case system is designed by Harvard Law School and MIT grads to match your pace: Quick summaries when you're slammed, detailed analysis when you need to go deep. Only LSD+ offers this kind of flexibility to genuinely fit your study flow.
Adaptive Case Views
Toggle between Flash, Standard, and Expanded. Get what you need, when you need it.
Exam-Ready IRAC Format
We deliver the precise structure professors look for in exam answers.
Complex Cases, Clarified
We break down dense legal reasoning into something digestible, helping you grasp core concepts.
Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis
tl;dr: The Supreme Court held that claims of unconstitutional partisan gerrymandering present nonjusticiable political questions. Federal courts lack the constitutional authority and manageable standards to determine when the permissible use of politics in redistricting has gone too far, leaving the issue to the political branches.
Legal Significance: This landmark decision established that partisan gerrymandering claims are nonjusticiable in federal court. It effectively closed the federal judiciary as a venue for challenging electoral maps on grounds of excessive partisanship, shifting the battleground for reform to state courts and legislative bodies.
RUCHO v. COMMON CAUSE Law School Study Guide
Use this case brief structure for your own legal analysis. Focus on the IRAC methodology to excel in law school exams and cold calls.
Case Facts & Court Holding
Key Facts & Case Background
This brief consolidates two cases. In North Carolina, Republican legislators, after a prior map was struck down for racial gerrymandering, drew a new congressional map in 2016. The stated, predominant intent was to use political data to create a 10-3 Republican advantage in the state’s 13 districts, regardless of the statewide vote share. In Maryland, Democratic state leaders, including the governor, redrew a congressional map in 2011 with the express purpose of flipping the historically Republican Sixth District to the Democrats. This was achieved by moving approximately 700,000 voters in and out of the district to alter its partisan composition significantly. In both states, the enacted plans successfully and durably achieved their intended partisan outcomes. Plaintiffs in both states challenged the maps in federal court, alleging violations of the First Amendment, the Equal Protection Clause, and Article I of the Constitution. The respective District Courts found the claims justiciable and ruled the maps unconstitutional.
Court Holding & Legal Precedent
Issue: Do claims of unconstitutional partisan gerrymandering present nonjusticiable political questions that are beyond the authority of federal courts to adjudicate?
Yes. The Court held that partisan gerrymandering claims are nonjusticiable political questions Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim
IRAC Legal Analysis
Complete IRAC Analysis for Higher Grades
IRAC (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion) is the exact format professors want to see in your exam answers. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full briefs combine holding, analysis, and rule statements formatted to match what A+ students produce in exams. These structured briefs help reinforce the essential legal reasoning patterns expected in law school.
Legal Issue
Do claims of unconstitutional partisan gerrymandering present nonjusticiable political questions that are beyond the authority of federal courts to adjudicate?
Conclusion
The decision effectively removes the federal judiciary from disputes over partisan gerrymandering, Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, q
Legal Rule
Partisan gerrymandering claims present nonjusticiable political questions because the Constitution provides no Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute
Legal Analysis
Chief Justice Roberts, writing for the majority, grounded the decision in the Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia
Flash-to-Full Case Opinions
Flash Summary
- Partisan gerrymandering claims are non-justiciable political questions outside the jurisdiction of