RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A federal appeals court will hear arguments next month over whether it was appropriate for a lower court to restore North Carolina appellate judge primaries this year even though state Republicans had passed a law canceling them.
The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, said Friday it would accelerate the legal process and hear in person from attorneys for GOP legislators, the state and the Democratic Party on March 20.
A 4th Circuit panel agreed last week to delay the preliminary injunction U.S. District Judge Catherine Eagles issued that had blocked temporarily the law eliminating the appellate primary elections. Those primaries would have been held in May.
The panel’s decision meant appellate candidates for now can plan to file in June for the November general election.