A federal judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee has set a preliminary injunction hearing schedule in the lawsuit filed Wednesday by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee challenging House Bill 7003, the state's mid decade congressional redistricting plan. The order, issued Wednesday afternoon, schedules an initial scheduling conference for Friday, May 8, with the preliminary injunction hearing set for May 26 through May 28, 2026.
Judge Sheryl H. Lipman, an Obama appointee who has been on the bench since 2014, will preside. Lipman has handled multiple voting rights cases in the Western District over the past decade, including a 2022 challenge to a Shelby County election rule that she resolved on the merits. The plaintiffs are seeking emergency injunctive relief to prevent the new map from being used in the August 6, 2026 federal primary election. Tennessee's primary filing deadline is currently June 5.
The case names Governor Bill Lee, Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett, and the State Election Commission as defendants. The complaint, filed Wednesday morning, alleges that HB7003 violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The 87 page filing argues that the new boundaries of Tennessee's 9th congressional district, which currently has a Black voting age population of approximately 64 percent under the existing map, would be reduced to roughly 38 percent under HB7003, diluting Black political power in Memphis and surrounding areas in violation of federal law.
HB7003 was passed by the Tennessee Senate Wednesday morning by a vote of 27 to 6 along party lines. The Tennessee House passed the bill Tuesday afternoon by a 75 to 24 vote. Governor Lee signed the legislation into law Wednesday at approximately 1:47 PM Central Time in a private ceremony at the Tennessee State Capitol attended by House Speaker Cameron Sexton, Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, and several House sponsors. The bill takes effect immediately upon signature, with primary filing for the redrawn districts expected to open Thursday morning at the Tennessee Secretary of State's office.
In their motion for preliminary injunction filed alongside the complaint, the plaintiffs requested an expedited schedule citing the August 6 primary deadline and the need for candidates to know which districts they are running in. Judge Lipman's scheduling order acknowledges the time sensitive nature of the case. The order requires the state to file its response by May 16, plaintiffs' reply by May 21, and oral argument the week of May 26.
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti issued a statement Wednesday afternoon pledging to defend the redistricting plan in court. The statement said the state's legal team had reviewed the map for compliance with the Voting Rights Act and federal constitutional requirements before passage and was prepared to defend the plan. Skrmetti's office has retained outside counsel from Bass Berry and Sims to assist with the litigation, according to a court filing late Wednesday.
Memphis Mayor Paul Young and Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris jointly filed a motion to participate as amici curiae Wednesday afternoon. The brief, written by attorneys from the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, argues that the redistricting plan would harm the City of Memphis and Shelby County government interests by fragmenting cohesive communities of interest across multiple congressional districts. Common Cause Tennessee, the Equity Alliance, and the League of Women Voters of Tennessee filed separate amicus motions Wednesday evening.
Representative Steve Cohen, who currently represents the 9th congressional district, told reporters Wednesday afternoon at a community gathering at the Lorraine Motel that he intends to run for reelection regardless of which version of the district lines is in effect on the filing deadline. Cohen has held the seat since 2007. State Representative Justin Pearson, who represents portions of South Memphis in the Tennessee General Assembly, told reporters at the same gathering that he is considering a run for the 9th district seat depending on the outcome of the litigation.
The Brookings Institution's analysis of HB7003, released Wednesday afternoon, projects that if the map is implemented as passed, Tennessee's congressional delegation would shift from the current eight Republican and one Democrat split to a likely nine Republican and zero Democrat split following the November 2026 election. The analysis is part of a broader Brookings tracking project monitoring 2026 mid decade redistricting efforts in seven states. Similar mid decade redistricting bills have been signed into law in Alabama, with hearings pending in Mississippi and Louisiana.
The Department of Justice Civil Rights Division has not announced whether it will participate in the litigation. The Voting Rights Act allows the Justice Department to file Section 2 actions independently or to intervene in private suits. A spokesperson for the Civil Rights Division declined to comment Wednesday evening. The plaintiffs have indicated they intend to file a motion for a temporary restraining order if filing for the redrawn districts opens before the preliminary injunction hearing.
Community organizations including Memphis United and the Shelby County Voting Rights Coalition have announced rallies and educational events scheduled across Memphis through the weekend.
