High court considers arguments over Oakland County redistricting

LANSING (AP) -- The Michigan Supreme Court has heard oral arguments over who has the power to redraw lines for the Oakland County Board of Commissioners' districts. Lawyers for the Republican-controlled board and Oakland County Democrats made arguments about the law Wednesday in Lansing. The justices will decide at a later date whether they'll take up the case on appeal. The Court of Appeals and a lower court already have ruled that a law passed last year by the GOP-controlled Legislature to give redistricting power to the commission rather than a bipartisan apportionment committee was a local act affecting only one government. The courts said the measure didn't meet constitutional requirements because it didn't pass with the necessary two-thirds majorities in the House and Senate. Published: Fri, Mar 23, 2012