In re Legislative Districting

ROBERT M. BELL, Chief Judge. ORDER WHEREAS, petitions were filed by various registered voters of the State with this Court as authorized by Article III, § 5, of the Constitution of Maryland, challenging the Constitutionality of the 2002 Legislative Redistricting Plan (the Plan) that, by inaction of the General Assembly on Senate Joint Resolution 3 and House Joint Resolution 3, became effective on February 22, 2002; and WHEREAS, following an initial hearing by this Court on the facial validity of the Plan, this Court, by Order entered April 11, 2002, concluded that sufficient evidence had been presented at that point to preclude a finding, as a matter of law, that the Plan was valid; and WHEREAS, in and pursuant to that Order, this Court appointed a Special Master to conduct further hearings on the petitions and to file a report containing the Master’s recommended findings of fact and conclusions of law; and WHEREAS, on May 21, 2002, the Special Master filed his Report in which he recommended that the petition filed in Misc. No. 24 be granted, that Districts 37 and 38 be reconfigured in conformance with that petition, but that all other petitions be denied; and WHEREAS, in accordance with this Court’s initial scheduling order of March 1, 2002, the respondents and several petitioners filed exceptions to the Master’s Report and recommendations; and WHEREAS, on June 10, 2002, this Court conducted a hearing on those exceptions;