Overview

• 19 federal appellate judges on the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals are hearing arguments on whether Mississippi can permanently strip voting rights from people convicted of certain felonies.
• In August, a three-judge panel of the appeals court ruled that the ban violates the U.S. Constitution's Eighth Amendment prohibiting 'cruel and unusual' punishment, but the full 17-member circuit court vacated that ruling weeks later.
• Under the Mississippi Constitution, people convicted of 10 specific felonies lose the right to vote, a list that was expanded to 22 crimes under a previous state attorney general.
• To have their voting rights restored, people convicted of these crimes must get a pardon from the governor or persuade lawmakers to pass individual bills just for them with two-thirds approval.
• The 5th Circuit is one of the most conservative circuit appeals courts, with 12 of its full-time posts filled by nominees of Republican presidents.