On July 17, a U.S. District Court in Arkansas cancelled the upcoming trial in Moore v Martin, the case that challenges the 2014 and 2018 petition deadline for non-presidential independent candidates. The 2013 legislature had moved the deadline from May to March, even though three times before, similar independent candidate petition deadlines had been struck down (in 1975, 1977 and 1988).

Instead of a trial, there will be an oral argument on July 27 on whether the case can be decided without a trial, on the precedents. IF, after the oral argument, the judge decides there needs to be a trial, then the trial will be some time later than July 27.

Independently of all that, the 2015 legislature moved the non-presidential independent candidate deadline to November 2015, for the 2016 election only. The existing lawsuit does not deal with the 2016 deadline.

The blog of the Birmingham News, Alabama’s biggest newspaper, published an appeal by the Constitution Party for a candidate to step forward to run in an upcoming special legislative election.

On July 16, the Oregon Supreme Court issued this opinion in Couey v Atkins, S061650. The case had been filed in 2010 by a petitioner, to challenge a 2009 law that makes it illegal for anyone to simultaneously be a paid circulator for one petition and a volunteer petitioner for another ballot measure. The Oregon Supreme Court did not actually settle that question. But it said the lower courts should resolve it. The lower courts had refused to issue an opinion on the main issue, because of various procedural problems, such as whether the case is moot. Thanks to Dan Meek for the link.