Hours after federal judges blocked Texas from using a newly drawn Congressional map, state leaders filed an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court. The redrawn map sparked a nationwide redistricting battle and is part of President Trump's efforts to preserve a Republican majority in next year's midterm elections.

Circuit Court Judge Jerry Smith wrote a fiery 104-page dissent attacking colleague Judge Jeffrey Brown's decision to block Texas redistricting maps.

A panel of three federal judges has blocked Texas from using a new congressional map that Republicans drew in hopes of picking up five U.S. House seats.

A federal judge penned a heated dissent after this week's ruling that blocked Texas' redistricting effort, accusing the judge who wrote the majority opinion of "outrageous conduct" and "cherry-picking of the highest order.

A federal judge, in a dissenting opinion released Nov. 19, claimed Texas redistricting ruling was "judicial activism."

Until being labeled as the "radical left," Brown was widely supported by Texas Republicans, including Gov. Greg Abbott, who previously hired him as his clerk. Abbott called the ruling “clearly erroneous.

Judge Jerry E. Smith accused his two colleagues who issued the injunction of acting in bad faith, issuing a decision rife with errors, falsehoods, and judicial activism.

Gov. Greg Abbott called federal judge Jeffrey Brown's redistricting decision "gross misjudgment" and said he's confident the U.S. Supreme Court will side with Texas.

Racial gerrymandering remains prohibited by the Constitution's Equal Protection Clause and the Voting Rights Act. Federal courts will still scrutinize motives, examine detailed evidentiary records and strike down maps where race predominates -- particularly when the state invokes "partisan intent" as a post-hoc shield.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton wins court approval to intervene in a Harris County bail reform lawsuit, vowing to do "everything in my power" to reverse the policy.