IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF GEORGIA ATLANTA DIVISION GEORGIA STATE CONFERENCE OF THE NAACP, et al., Plaintiffs, Civil Action No. v. 1:21-cv-05338-ELB-SCJ-SDG STATE OF GEORGIA, et al., Defendants. COMMON CAUSE, et al., Plaintiffs, Civil Action No. v. 1:22-cv-00090-ELB-SCJ-SDG BRAD RAFFENSPERGER, Defendant. THREE-JUDGE COURT Before BRANCH, Circuit Judge, JONES and GRIMBERG, District Judges. By the Court: ORDER Currently pending are Defendants’ “Motion[s] to Hold Case in Abeyance” (Georgia NAACP Doc. No. [198]; Common Cause Doc. No. [135]). Specifically, Defendants seek a stay of all deadlines in these actions, including the trial scheduled for November 13, 2023, until there is a resolution of any appeal of the October 26, 2023 Order entered in Alpha Phi Alpha v. Raffensperger, No. 1:21-cv- 05337-SCJ; Pendergrass v. Raffensperger, No. 1:21-cv-05339-SCJ; Grant v. Raffensperger, No. 1:22-cv-00122-SCJ (N.D. Ga. Oct. 26, 2023), which enjoined use of Georgia’s 2021 Congressional, State Senate, and State House of Representatives redistricting plans. The Court heard oral argument on the Motions to Hold in Abeyance during the Pretrial Conference on October 31, 2023. At that time, Defendants were unable to inform the Court whether Secretary Raffensperger would seek a stay of the injunction. On November 1, 2023, the Defendants filed a Notice informing the Court that a stay of the injunction in the Alpha Phi Alpha/Pendergrass/Grant cases will not be sought (Georgia NAACP Doc. No. [203]; Common Cause Doc. No. [136]).1 The inherent discretionary authority of the district court to stay litigation pending the outcome of a related proceeding in another forum is not questioned. 1 The Court notes that Defendants’ Notice indicates that Secretary Raffensperger intends to appeal the order in the Alpha Phi Alpha/Pendergrass/Grant cases. The Court takes judicial notice, however, that no notice of appeal has been filed on the docket in any of these cases at this time. 2 See generally Will v. Calvert Fire Ins. Co., 437 U.S. 655, 665 (1978); Landis v. North Am. Co., 299 U.S. 248, 255 (1936); PPG Indus. Inc. v. Continental Oil Co., 478 F.2d 674 (5th Cir. 1973). In light of the decision to forego a stay of the order enjoining the use of the same maps being challenged in the instant cases, as well as the November 29, 2023 Special Session of the General Assembly convened for the purpose of redrawing the Congressional, State Senate, and State House of Representatives redistricting plans, the Court GRANTS Defendants’ Motions to Hold Case in Abeyance (Georgia NAACP Doc. No. [198]; Common Cause Doc. No. [135]). The Court finds that conservation of judicial resources dictates that the instant cases be held in abeyance and exercises its discretion to do so until resolution of any appeal of the order issued in the Alpha Phi Alpha/Pendergrass/Grant cases. All deadlines set forth in these actions are STAYED, and the trial scheduled for November 13, 2023 is CONTINUED. Pursuant to the Court’s inherent authority to control the disposition of matters on its docket,2 the Clerk is DIRECTED to terminate all pending motions. 2 Equity Lifestyle Props., Inc. v. Fla. Mowing and Landscape Serv., Inc., 556 F.3d 1232, 1240 (11th Cir. 2009) (“A district court has inherent authority to manage its own docket ‘so as to achieve the orderly and expeditious disposition of cases.’”). 3 IT IS SO ORDERED this 1st day of November, 2023. fof. a i HONORABLE STEVE C. JONES UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE