Court Keeps Arguments Over Redistricting Docs Open
MIAMI (CBSMiami/NSF) -- Florida Supreme Court officials announced Thursday oral arguments about whether a Republican consulting firm's records should have been used in a recent redistricting trial will not be closed the public.
The oral arguments are scheduled for next week.
The court issued an order denying a request by Pat Bainter, his employees and his Gainesville-based company, Data Targeting, Inc., that the courtroom be closed Sept. 19th.
"The court is cognizant of the fact that the challenged documents are currently under seal and their contents have been treated as confidential during these proceedings, unless and until the court orders otherwise," the order said.
Bainter has appealed a ruling that allowed some of his records to be used in a court case over whether congressional districts drawn by the Legislature in 2012 violated the state's constitutional ban on political gerrymandering.
Leon County Circuit Judge Terry Lewis allowed the documents to be used in the case, but kept them out of public view. Lewis later struck down the map, which was redrawn by the Legislature during a special session last month.
The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.
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