Cases: Duke v. Leake: Decisions / Orders

Fourth Circuit Accepts CLC Brief in Judicial Public Financing Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued an order this week permitting the Campaign Legal Center and nine other organizations "concerned about the influence of money on judicial integrity, impartiality and independence" to file their amici curiae brief in Duke v. Leake . The case involves a constitutional challenge to several provisions of North Carolina's judicial election public financing program, including the matching "rescue funds" provision, reporting requirements for nonparticipating candidates and independent spenders, and a 21-day pre-election contribution restriction. The trial court dismissed the lawsuit and the plaintiffs appealed to the Fourth Circuit. The CLC et al. amici brief supports Appellee State of North Carolina and Intervenors-Appellees Common Cause of North Carolina et al., urging the Fourth Circuit to affirm the trial court decision dismissing the lawsuit.

Joining the Legal Center as amici are: the American Judges Association; the Center for Civic Policy; Demos: A Network for Ideas and Action; the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform; the League of Women Voters of the United States; the League of Women Voters of North Carolina; Progressive Maryland; Public Citizen, Inc.; and the Reform Institute.

To read the court order granting amicus status to the CLC, click here.