NAACP Requests Supreme Court Reconsider Callais Judgment Amid Election Timing Concerns

The U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in Callais on April 29. On the same day, non-African American plaintiffs requested that the Court enforce the judgment immediately—a move framed as urgent due to Louisiana’s election timeline.

Justice Alito called for a response by April 30, which the NAACP filed. However, the organization did not simultaneously file a motion for reconsideration, despite the strategic advantage of doing so in a fast-moving case.

The Robinson Appellants opposed the plaintiffs’ request for expedited judgment enforcement, stating:

The Robinson Appellants oppose Appellees' Application for expedited issuance of the Court's judgment in this matter (the "Application"). This Court should afford Appellants the opportunity to consider seeking rehearing in the ordinary course. See Supreme Court Rule 44.1 (allowing 25 days for a party to seek rehearing of any judgment of this Court).

Critics argue the case’s placement on the emergency docket left no room for the standard 25-day reconsideration period. The NAACP has since formally requested the Court withdraw the judgment to allow full time for a reconsideration motion.

The plaintiffs’ application cited the Robinson Appellants’ lack of intent to seek reconsideration as justification for immediate judgment enforcement. However, the Appellants’ opposition explicitly requested time to consider a rehearing, citing Rule 44.1’s 25-day window. Their filing stated:

Appellants intend to request rehearing in this case, and, accordingly, respectfully request that this Court recall the judgment, reconsider its order granting the Application, and deny the Application. Alternatively, Appellants respectfully ask the Court to recall the judgment and provide them fifteen days from the date of its decision in this case, or until May 14, 2026, to seek rehearing.

Justice Jackson argued against immediate judgment enforcement, but no other justices joined her position. Observers suggest the NAACP’s request may face significant hurdles, as proceedings in the lower court are already underway.