Judge to begin hearing municipal schools case Thursday | News

(WMC-TV) – A federal judge has set a hearing date in the battle over Bartlett's ability to decide if it wants to form a municipal school district.

Attorneys for all sides will be at the federal courthouse Thursday so U.S. District Judge Samuel Mays can begin determining if he should stop the August 2 referendum.

The Shelby County Commission claims the suburb's municipal districts would be segregated, but Mays said he could not rule on that argument without a much longer hearing and that could take weeks.

Instead, Thursday's proceedings will deal only with the constitutionality of municipal districts.

Lawyers have until the close of business Wednesday to file their final briefings.

Early voting for the August 2 referendum is scheduled to begin July 13, the day after Thursday’s hearing.

Bartlett, Germantown, Lakeland and Collierville are all participating in the case.

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