Oral Argument Re-Listen: Louisiana v. Callais | SCOTUS Writes a New Voting Rights Playbook

Louisiana v. Callais and Robinson v. Callais | Case Nos. 24-109 & 24-110 | Oral Argument: 10/15/25 | Decided: April 29, 2026 | Docket Link: Here and Here

Overview: On 4/29/26, the Supreme Court struck down Louisiana's second majority-Black congressional district as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander, overhauled the 40-year-old Gingles framework for vote-dilution claims, and reinterpreted Section 2 to demand a strong inference of intentional discrimination.

Question Presented: Whether Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act required Louisiana to create a second majority-minority congressional district, justifying race-based redistricting under strict scrutiny.

Posture: Three-judge district court struck down SB8; direct appeal to Supreme Court affirmed 6-3.

Holding: Because the Voting Rights Act of 1965, 52 U. S. C. §10301 et seq., did not require Louisiana to create an additional majority-minority district, no compelling interest justified the State’s use of race in creating SB8, and that map is an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.

Result: Affirmed and Remanded.

Voting Breakdown: 6-3. Justice Alito delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Thomas, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett joined. Justice Thomas filed a concurring opinion, in which Justice Gorsuch joined. Justice Kagan filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justices Sotomayor and Jackson joined.

Link to Opinion: Here.

Oral Advocates:

• For Petitioner Press Robinson: Janai Nelson, New York
• For Petitioner Louisiana: J. Benjamin Aguiñaga, Solicitor General, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
• For Appellees: Edward D. Greim, Kansas City, Missouri
• For United States, as Amicus Curiae, in Support of Appellees: Hashim M. Mooppan, Principal Deputy Solicitor General, Department of Justice

Timestamps:

[00:00:00] Argument Preview

[00:01:00] Argument Begins

[00:01:09] Appellant Press Robinson Opening Statement

[00:03:32] Appellant Press Robinson Free for All Questions

[00:26:15] Appellant Press Robinson Sequential Questions

[00:47:32] Appellant Louisiana Opening Statement

[00:49:02] Appellant Louisiana Free for All Questions

[00:57:59] Appellant Louisiana Sequential Questions

[01:20:21] Callais Appellees Opening Statement

[01:21:47] Callais Appellees Free for All Questions

[01:31:11] Callais Appellees Sequential Questions

[01:40:35] United States as Amicus Curaie Opening Statement

[01:41:42] United States as Amicus Curaie Free for All Questions

[01:51:08] United States as Amicus Curaie Sequential Questions

[02:25:32] Appellant Press Robinson Rebuttal