Our experienced team of attorneys and professionals, including several former elected officials, assists clients at the state and local levels of government in developing redistricting plans and provide representation in litigation alleging violations of the Voting Rights Act. We understand the complexities of a redistricting process and have successfully advised clients on how to navigate these sophisticated issues.
Over the past two decades, we have advised political clients on congressional and state reapportionment issues and successfully defended those reapportionment decisions when they have faced legal challenges. Our experience with the practical aspects of developing and implementing redistricting adds valuable perspective when lawmakers are faced with daunting, yet necessary, process of ensuring fairness and equity and maintaining the sanctity of every vote.
EXPERIENCE
- Lead Counsel, Mississippi Standing Joint Legislative Committee on Reapportionment (Congressional and State), (2001-05) (2010-2012).
- Thomas v. Bryant, 919 F. 3d 298 (5th 2019) (representing state official defendants in Section 2 challenge to state senate district).
- State Conf. of the NAACP, et al. No. 12-1132, U.S. Supreme Court (intervenor in action challenging statewide legislative redistricting plans).
- Woullard v. Mississippi, 2006 WL 1806457 (S.D. Miss. 2006) (representing state defendant in Shaw v. Reno challenge to state senate district).
- Representation of multiple local government entities (cities, counties, school districts) in developing and defending redistricting plans.
PUBLICATIONS
- Cardin, T. and Berry, P., “Section 2 Vote Dilution in 2018 and Beyond, with emphasis on State Legislative Redistricting,” America Votes! Challenges to Modern Election Law and Voting Rights (ABA 4th 2019) (publication pending)
- Cardin, T. and Berry, P., “Fundamentals of Redistricting,” Mississippi Lawyer, Summer Edition, 2019.
- Cardin, T., “Mississippi Legislative Redistricting in the New Millennium”, 85 Miss. L. J. 1193 (2017).
- Cardin, T. and Engstrom, R., “Preclearance Politics in Mississippi: State Legislative Redistricting”, 46 Cumberland Law Review 349 (2015-2016).
- Cardin, T. and Berry, P., “Finding Middle Ground for State Legislative Reapportionment,” America Votes! A Guide to Modern Election Law and Voting Rights, 3rd ed., American Bar Association, May
- Cardin, T., “Legislative Redistricting: New Challenges,” America Votes! A Guide to Modern Election Law and Voting Rights, 2nd ed., American Bar Association, July
- Cardin, T. and Berry, P., “Election Challenges Involving Candidates for Federal Office,” America Votes! A Guide to Modern Election Law and Voting Rights, American Bar Association, February 2008.
