NPR: 55 Years Later, Lawyer Will Again Argue Over Redistricting Before Supreme Court

NPR: 55 Years Later, Lawyer Will Again Argue Over Redistricting Before Supreme Court

55 years later, Common Cause Lawyer Emmet Bondurant is set to argue before the Supreme Court again. This time he's asking the court to block partisan redistricting in North Carolina. Although the state is closely politically divided, the legislature ensured that Republicans would dominate the congressional delegation. Bondurant has no plans to retire, or quit trying to improve democracy in the country through the courts. "I'd rather spend my time doing that than playing golf, in part because I play golf so badly that the opportunity not to play is itself a positive," Bondurant said. "But, this is really important stuff, and it's very fundamental."

Emmet Jopling Bondurant II knew about the civil rights movement when he was a student at the University of Georgia in the 1950s, but he didn’t join it.

“I was trying to get through college,” the burly, white-haired 82-year-old said in an interview. “And I’m embarrassed to say I was not involved. I should have been involved much sooner.”

But, as a 26-year-old lawyer, he soon took part in one of the most important voting rights cases before the Supreme Court in the 1960s — one that ultimately required states to put equal numbers of people in congressional districts.

55 years later, in a case that bookends his legal career, Bondurant is returning to argue before the high court in a case that asks whether politicians can draw political boundaries to benefit their own political party at the expense of the other party. …

55 years later, Common Cause Lawyer Emmet Bondurant is set to argue before the Supreme Court again.

This time he’s asking the court to block partisan redistricting in North Carolina.

Although the state is closely politically divided, the legislature ensured that Republicans would dominate the congressional delegation.

Bondurant has no plans to retire, or quit trying to improve democracy in the country through the courts.

“I’d rather spend my time doing that than playing golf, in part because I play golf so badly that the opportunity not to play is itself a positive,” Bondurant said. “But, this is really important stuff, and it’s very fundamental.”