On January 13, the Ninth Circuit set a briefing schedule for Thompson v Hebdon, 17-35019, the Alaska campaign finance case that the U.S. Supreme Court remanded on November 25, 2019. The first brief is due February 18, 2020, and all the briefs will be in by March 31.

This is the case that challenged the low limits on how much Alaska individuals may donate to candidates to state office, and to political parties. The case also challenges the Alaska law that makes it very difficult for out-of-state individuals to donate to Alaska parties or candidates. The Ninth Circuit had upheld the donation limits 3-0, and had upheld the barriers for out-of-state givers 2-1. Then the people who brought the lawsuit had appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which sent the case back to the Ninth Circuit with instructions to hear it again. The U.S. Supreme Court remand suggested that the donation limits are too low, but didn’t say anything about the out-of-state issue.