February News: Gerrymandering updates, school funding oral argument

Join us on March 7: School Funding Lawsuit Oral Argument


	Fair funding rally

For the last five months, our school funding lawsuit has been on hold as the legislative respondents have sought to delay the case. Now, we need your help to show Pennsylvania's Commonwealth Court that there is public support for this case and that Pennsylvanians want the case to move toward trial quickly. Demonstrate your support by j oining us in Court on Wednesday, March 7, when the Court will hear oral argument on remaining preliminary objections and a motion to dismiss the case.

School Funding Lawsuit Oral Argument

Wednesday, March 7, 2018

The Widener Building, 1339 Chestnut Street, 9th Floor, Courtroom 1

8:30 a.m. Courtroom opens

9:30: Oral arguments in other lawsuits begin

10:30: Estimated start time for argument in school funding lawsuit

Immediately following: Press conference on south apron of City Hall

Click for more details and to RSVP*!

*Seating in the courtroom is limited. RSVP does not guarantee a seat in the courtroom.

Pennsylvania Redistricting Lawsuit Updates


Pennsylvania's New Congressional Map

There has been no shortage of activity since the Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued a new map on February 19. Since then, the legislative respondents, or their deputies, have filed two more frivolous legal challenges in attempts to derail the new map, in addition to asking the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to stay its own decision. Last Wednesday, Senator Scarnati and Speaker Turzai filed yet another request for stay with the U.S. Supreme Court, even though Supreme Court Justice Alito rejected the very same request just a few weeks ago. Then, last Thursday, two Republican state senators, along with several Republican Congressmen, filed a new lawsuit in federal court asking the court to stop Pennsylvania election officials from holding the 2018 congressional elections under the remedial map, and instead to mandate that the elections be held under the unconstitutional 2011 map.

While more taxpayer dollars are wasted attempting to engage the federal courts in a case that was decided solely on state law and that has already been decided by Pennsylvania's highest state court, we are not resting on our laurels. We continue to respond to the requests for stay, and just hours after the new federal case was filed, we asked the court to allow us to intervene on behalf of our clients--the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania and the 18 individual voters who brought this case in the first place.

What's next:

Thursday, March 1: A scheduling hearing on the new federal lawsuit and argument on motions to intervene will be held in Harrisburg.
Friday, March 2: Defendants in the federal lawsuit will file a brief in response to the plaintiffs' motion for preliminary injunction. Motions to dismiss this lawsuit are also due.
Monday, March 5: Response brief due to legislative respondents' request for a stay from the U.S. Supreme Court.
Wednesday, March 7: Briefs in opposition to motions to dismiss are due.
Friday, March 9: A preliminary injunction hearing will be held in Harrisburg.
TBD: A decision from the U.S. Supreme Court on the legislative respondents' request for a stay.

Save the Date: April 4th Gerrymandering Event in Swarthmore


	The Inn at Swarthmore, Credit: Booking.com

Want to support the Law Center while having some fun and learning more about our Gerrymandering lawsuit? Save the date and join us on Wednesday, April 4th at The Inn at Swarthmore. After a short program, meet and mingle during a cocktail reception with the attorneys that worked on the case and learn, from the source, what occurred and what to expect moving forward. We hope you'll join us and your fellow proponents of redistricting reform in Pennsylvania!

Life After School Transition Services Session

Do you have a child between the ages of 14 and 21 who has an Individualized Education Program (IEP)? Want to learn more about their legal right to an IEP that prepares them for life after high school? Join us for an in depth discussion on secondary transition planning on Saturday, March 17, 2018, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. at Carousel House in Philadelphia. Tickets are free, but space is limited, so sign up today!