A federal appeals court has tentatively scheduled oral arguments for late July in a closely-watched constitutional battle over Florida’s system for restoring the voting rights of felons. The News Service of Florida reports that the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is expected to hear arguments the week of July 23, though an online docket does not yet list a specific date.
The appeals court has issued accelerated deadlines for both sides to file briefs. The court received the case after U.S. District Judge Mark Walker in Tallahassee declared Florida’s 150-year-old clemency system to be unconstitutional.
An estimated 1.5 million Floridians are permanently disenfranchised by the state’s voting rights restoration system for felons.
Full Article: Felons’ rights legal showdown set for July in Atlanta courtroom | Tampa Bay Times.