According to the facts of the case, the Virginia State Legislature drew new lines for 12 state legislative districts after the 2010 census. The goal with this redistricting was to ensure that each district would have a black voting-age population of at least 55 percent. Voters filed suit, arguing that the new districts violated the Fourteen Amendment’s equal protection clause.

A three-judge district court originally rejected the challenge and the Supreme Court ruled that the lower court applied the wrong legal standard when it determined that race was not a factor in 11 of the 12 districts at issue. The court’s opinion was delivered by Justice Anthony Kennedy. In a concurring opinion, conservative Justice Clarence Thomas also wrote that all of the districts were unconstitutional due to racial gerrymandering.