Missouri Supreme Court

A dispute over Missouri's congressional map has led the Supreme Court to issue a clarification of the Purcell principle, the doctrine limiting courts' ability to change election rules close to an election. Commentators say the episode also exposed flaws in the Court's shadow docket practice, where major decisions are made through brief, unsigned orders with limited reasoning and little public scrutiny.

The US Supreme Court has once again blocked the use of a Republican-favored congressional map in Missouri, rejecting the state's redrawn district boundaries. It is at least the second time the justices have intervened over the map. The ruling reignites debate over partisan gerrymandering and voting rights, with Republicans in Missouri pushing for districts that favor their party and critics welcoming the court's refusal to allow the map to stand.