Simpson Thacher, alongside the ACLU, ACLU of Mississippi and Southern Poverty Law Center, secured a victory in a federal district court in Oxford, Mississippi on behalf of four civic leaders challenging the state’s Supreme Court electoral map. The court ruled that the current map violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and enjoined the defendants from using it in future elections and required the Mississippi Legislature to enact a new plan.
In her August 19, 2025 decision, District Court Judge Sharion Aycock ruled: “The evidence reveals a history of voting-related discrimination in Mississippi and the utilization of voting practices and procedures that continue to enhance the opportunity to discriminate against or suppress the votes of Black Mississippians.” She further noted that “race best explains" the state's "divergent voting patterns.”
The eight-day trial of the case took place in Oxford in August 2024.
The Simpson Thacher team included Jonathan Youngwood, Janet Gochman, Nihara Choudhri, Kate Lambroza and Noah Gimbel. Isaac Rethy also played a critical role in initiation and prosecution of the case.
The case has been covered by publications including ABC News, AP, Huffington Post, Reuters, U.S. News & World Report and many more.