The US Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Pender County commissioners who sued the state of North Carolina over redistricting.
Monday, the court ruled that a federal civil rights law does not require North Carolina to draw legislative districts in which black residents comprise less than half the voting-age population.
The justices said in a 5-4 decision that such gerrymandering is required only if a district has a numerical majority of black voters.
Current and former county commissioners originally sued in 2004, after lawmakers redrew district lines and split the county based on racial makeup.

