Earlier Hearing Date On New Legislative Districts Denied

A federal judge won't move up a court hearing on whether two dozen legislative districts drawn by an outside expert should replace those approved by the General Assembly.

U.S. District Court Judge Catherine Eagles denied a motion filed this week by attorneys for GOP legislative leaders. The motion requested that a hearing by a three-judge panel that was set for January be bumped up to next week.

The attorneys argued that it would give legislators more time to appeal any ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court, or for the General Assembly to act when it reconvenes Jan. 10. Candidate filing begins in mid-February.

The judges hired what's called a special master to propose House and Senate districts that address possible continued racial bias in the redrawn lines.