The fifth circuit court of appeals, which hears cases brought for appeal from Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, will weigh in on Nairne v Landry, a case in which a federal judge in Louisiana ruled the Republican-controlled legislature had violated section 2 of the Voting Rights Act with its newly created maps.

Section 2 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race in voting processes and ensures electoral procedures are “equally open to participation” for people regardless of race. When states redistrict every 10 years, they often face legal challenges for hindering the voices of minority voters.

In Nairne v Landry, the plaintiffs successfully argued that Black voters’ political power in Louisiana was diluted and that they were not able to elect candidates they wanted, outside of a small number of districts that packed in Black voters. Louisiana’s maps have been the subject of multiple lawsuits since they were finalized.