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   The Tennessee Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned a lower   
   court's temporary injunction blocking a new Senate map, allowing   
   the state to proceed with senatorial elections under districts   
   Democrats have criticized as unconstitutional.   
      
   The court's judgment does not rule on the merits of the lawsuit,   
   filed in February by three Tennessee Democratic Party-backed   
   plaintiffs, but finds the trial court erred in granting an   
   untimely injunction.   
      
   In its opinion, the court wrote the lower court "abused its   
   discretion" by issuing the injunction, which came just a day   
   before the Senate candidate filing deadline. The Supreme Court   
   majority said the injunction could harm "the public interest in   
   ensuring orderly elections and avoiding voter confusion."   
      
   Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, is "pleased' with the   
   decision, a spokesperson said.   
      
   "The Senate has always maintained it drew a fair and legal map   
   in an open and transparent process," McNally spokesperson Adam   
   Kleinheider said.   
      
   Attorney General Herbert Slatery argued last week the injunction   
   could "wreak electoral chaos" as it came 24 hours before the   
   candidate filing deadline on April 7 for Senate legislative   
   elections.   
      
   "After brazenly violating the constitutional language and   
   dragging their feet on the maps, the General Assembly is now   
   going to have the maps proceed because of the timing they   
   created," said Scott Tift, an attorney for the plaintiffs. "It's   
   a sad day for Tennesseans that by by dragging their feet, the   
   Legislature is able to procedurally violate the Constitution and   
   get away with it."   
      
   The Tennessee Supreme Court on Wednesday reversed the lower   
   court's decision to extend the filing deadline, giving   
   prospective Senate candidates until 4 p.m. on April 14 to file.   
      
   Related: Tennessee appeals redistricting ruling after judges   
   block Senate map   
      
   The plaintiffs allege the General Assembly, where the GOP holds   
   a supermajority, unconstitutionally divided more counties than   
   necessary in drawing the House map, as well as numbering Senate   
   districts nonconsecutively.   
      
   The plaintiffs argued nonconsecutive numbering is   
   unconstitutional, as the Tennessee Constitution states, "In a   
   county having more than one senatorial district, the districts   
   shall be numbered consecutively."   
      
   The numbering plays a role in election cycles where even-   
   numbered districts are elected in presidential election years   
   and odd-numbered districts in gubernatorial election years.   
      
   In its Wednesday ruling, the Supreme Court majority overruled   
   its own hand-picked judge panel.   
      
   General Assembly Republicans last year passed legislation aimed   
   at reshaping the state's judicial system over concerns Davidson   
   County judges were too liberal and held outsize influence over   
   state laws and regulations.   
      
   More: New three-judge panels to hear challenges to state law   
   under plan approved by Tennessee lawmakers   
      
   Under the new law, the state Supreme Court can step in and   
   appoint a three-judge panel to hear constitutional claims   
   against the state and redistricting issues. The judges must   
   represent all three Grand Divisions.   
      
   For the redistricting lawsuit, the Supreme Court picked two   
   justices, Circuit Court Judge Michael Sharp from East Tennessee   
   and West Tennessee Chancellor Steven Maroney, to join Davidson   
   County Chancellor Russel Perkins on the case.   
      
   Last week, the panel issued the injunction and ordered the   
   Senate to submit a new map to address the numbering issue within   
   15 days, or the panel would submit its own version for use.   
      
   Senate Republican leadership last week expressed shock the map   
   was blocked, saying they had assurances from the Attorney   
   General's office that the map would withstand constitutional   
   challenges.   
      
   The redistricting lawsuit is still ongoing, despite the   
   injunction's reversal, though a trial on the issue is likely   
   months away.   
      
   Reach Melissa Brown at mabrown@tennessean.com.   
      
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