{"id":71926,"date":"2025-12-01T20:51:15","date_gmt":"2025-12-01T20:51:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/71926\/"},"modified":"2025-12-01T20:51:15","modified_gmt":"2025-12-01T20:51:15","slug":"lawsuit-accusing-tarrant-county-of-racial-gerrymandering-dropped-one-remains","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/71926\/","title":{"rendered":"Lawsuit accusing Tarrant County of racial gerrymandering dropped, one remains"},"content":{"rendered":"

A group of Tarrant County residents who sued over the county\u2019s new commissioners court precinct map<\/a> withdrew their lawsuit Monday.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not clear from court filings why the group that filed the case, titled\u00a0Jackson et. al. v. Tarrant County<\/a>, decided to drop it. But it ends one of two lawsuits accusing Tarrant County of illegal racial gerrymandering.<\/p>\n

KERA News has reached out to attorneys on both sides for comment.<\/p>\n

In an emailed statement, Republican County Judge Tim O\u2019Hare welcomed the news.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Commissioners Court\u2019s action to redistrict was constitutional from the outset and remains so,\u201d he said. \u201cWith today\u2019s legal development, Tarrant County will continue to stand as the best place to live and run a business in America.\u201d<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, O\u2019Hare and Tarrant County\u2019s Republican commissioners pushed ahead with an unusual mid-decade redistricting effort, redrawing the precinct lines in their own favor. Opponents countered with two lawsuits<\/a>, accusing the Republicans of creating a new right-leaning seat by shoving a disproportionate amount of Black and brown residents into one precinct.<\/p>\n

In both cases, judges\u00a0allowed the map t<\/a>o go into effect<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In October, federal appeals court judges evaluating the Jackson case\u00a0acknowledged the new map disproportionately affects Black and Latino voters<\/a>. But they decided the complainants failed to prove commissioners had anything but partisan intentions.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn obvious explanation for the disparity exists: race and partisanship are highly correlated in Tarrant County, and districting decisions driven by partisanship will often have disparate racial effects,\u201d their ruling read.<\/p>\n

The second lawsuit over the county\u2019s redistricting, brought by the League of Women Voters of Tarrant County and the League of United Latin American Citizens of Fort Worth, is still pending in a county district court, online records show.<\/p>\n

The Jackson case\u2019s withdrawal was \u201chighly predictable,\u201d Republican County Commissioner Matt Krause wrote in a Facebook post.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis Democrat law firm wasted taxpayer funds by filing such an obviously meritless lawsuit. Maybe they should refund the taxpayers for having to defend it?\u201d he wrote, adding a smiley face emoji.<\/p>\n

A court battle over Texas\u2019 new congressional maps<\/a>, also redrawn to favor Republicans, is underway. <\/p>\n

The U.S. Supreme Court\u00a0temporarily restored the new map<\/a>\u00a0after a lower court ruled it was racially gerrymandered. It\u00a0remains unclear<\/a>\u00a0which map will be in effect for next year\u2019s midterm elections.<\/p>\n

\n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n

Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative<\/a> for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.<\/p>\n

Republish This Story<\/p>\n

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