Supreme Court finds that courts can't rule on partisan gerrymandering cases

The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 on Thursday that political partisan gerrymandering cases present a question that courts cannot decide.

The justices made the ruling in a pair of cases presented over district maps in Maryland and North Carolina, alleged to be instances of unconstitutional partisan gerrymanders.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the court's majority opinion that federal courts cannot consider such challenges.

The opinion vacates previous rulings on the district maps in Maryland and North Carolina, and requests that the cases be dismissed "for lack of jurisdiction."

The split ruling was along ideological lines.