Hello and welcome to your Under the Dome newsletter. Kyle Ingram here.

A handful of major political lawsuits are scheduled to go to trial this spring, potentially upending sweeping legislation passed by Republican lawmakers.

Here’s more on each of them.

Abortion restrictions

North Carolina’s new 12-week abortion ban could go to trial as early as May 6.

Planned Parenthood South Atlantic challenged the restrictions shortly after Republicans passed them last year.

In September, U.S. District Judge Catherine Eagles agreed to throw out two parts of the law but left the broad strokes of the legislation intact.

Now, Eagles is asking both sides to get their filings in by the end of April for a trial to begin shortly after. The case is listed as a bench trial, meaning there won’t be a jury.

Voter ID

While voter ID went into effect for the municipal election in 2023, a lawsuit has been attempting to strike down the requirement since 2018.

Now that challenge will go to trial on May 6, U.S. District Judge Loretta Biggs announced. Like the abortion case, this will also be a nonjury trial.

That lawsuit, filed by the NAACP, argues that the requirement discriminates against minority voters.

Voters will need to show ID for the March 5 primary, but depending on how the trial goes, the ID requirement could potentially be thrown out before the general election.

Biggs blocked the law once before, in 2019, but her order was overturned by a higher court.

Felon voting

A legal battle about the voting rights of North Carolinians with felony convictions could also go to trial in the spring.

The state prohibits people with felony convictions from voting until their sentences have been fully completed. The lawsuit argues that this restriction discriminates against racial minorities.

Biggs, also the judge in this case, scheduled a trial for the court’s April 1 session, though the actual date could be later.

Earlier this month, a magistrate judge issued a nonbinding recommendation saying that Biggs should dismiss the case as moot. Biggs scheduled oral arguments on that recommendation for Feb. 28.

That’s all for today. Check your inbox on Tuesday for more #ncpol news.

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