On November 23, a 3-judge U.S. District Court heard arguments in Covington v State of North Carolina, m.d., 1:15cv-399. The plaintiffs are African-American voters who charge that the 2011 legislative redistricting packed too many of them in a small number of legislative districts, thus reducing their voting influence in many other adjoining legislative districts.

The case was filed May 19, 2015. The hearing was on the request for a preliminary injunction against using the districts in the 2016 election. The three judges are Thomas D. Schroeder (a Bush Jr. appointee), James A. Wynn Jr. (an Obama appointee), and Catherine C. Eagles (an Obama appointee). See this story.