The California Appeals Court shot down the City of Santa Clara’s appeal of the 2018 California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) lawsuit the City lost. In a unanimous decision, Judges Eugene Premo, Allison M. Danner and Franklin Elia upheld the Superior Court’s findings.
“The judgment of liability under the California Voting Rights Act is affirmed,” said the announcement published Wednesday. “The award of attorney fees and costs to plaintiffs is also affirmed. Plaintiffs are entitled to their costs on appeal.”
In 2018, the County Superior Court ruled that Santa Clara’s former at-large by-seat City Council election system violated voting rights laws by diluting minority votes. Judge Thomas Kuhnle awarded the plaintiffs in the case $3.2 million in legal costs.