IN THE CHANCERY COURT OF DAVIDSON COUNTY, TENNESSEE
TWENTIETH JUDICIAL DISTRICT, NASHVILLE

HUNTER DEMSTER, EARLE J.
FISHER, JULIA HILTONSMITH,
GINGER BULLARD, JEFF BULLARD,
ALLISON DONALD, and
#UPTHEVOTE901,

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EXPEDITED ACTION REQUESTED
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Plaintiffs,
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v.
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Docket No. 20-0435-III
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TRE HARGETT, MARK GOINS,
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WILLIAM LEE, and HERBERT
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SLATERY III, each in his official capacity
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for the State of Tennessee
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Defendants.
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---------------------------------------------------------------------------BENJAMIN WILLIAM LAY, CAROLE
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JOY GREENWALT, and SOPHIA
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LUANGRATH,
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Plaintiffs,
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v.
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Docket No. 20-0453-III
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MARK GOINS, TRE HARGETT, and
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WILLIAM LEE, each in his official
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capacity for the State of Tennessee,
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Defendants.
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DEFENDANTS’ MOTION FOR PERMISSION TO SEEK
RULE 9 INTERLOCUTORY APPEAL
Defendants, Mark Goins, Tre Hargett, and William Lee, in their official capacities,
respectfully move this Court for permission to seek an interlocutory appeal under Tenn. R. App.
P. 9 from this Court’s June 4, 2020 order granting Plaintiffs a temporary injunction.
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 Expedited action on this motion is also requested. Given the risk of irreparable harm to
the State, and to Tennessee voters, and the extreme time pressure resulting from the upcoming
August and November elections, Defendants ask that the Court decide this motion without
argument and without requiring further briefing for either side.
As grounds for this motion, the Defendants assert the following:
1.

There is a need to prevent irreparable injury to the State’s ability to conduct the

August and November 2020 elections, to ensure the integrity of those elections, and to avoid voter
confusion and/or disenfranchisement, and review upon entry of a final judgment would be
ineffective. See Tenn. R. App. P. 9(a)(1).
2.

There is a need to prevent needless, expensive, and protracted litigation, as

immediate reversal of the Court’s Memorandum and Order of June 4, 2020, would result in a net
reduction in the duration and expense of this litigation. See Tenn. R. App. P. 9(a)(2).
3.

There is a need to develop a uniform body of law with respect to whether the State’s

absentee-ballot statute unconstitutionally burdens the fundamental right to vote. See Tenn. R. App.
P. 9(a)(3).
This motion is supported by an accompanying memorandum of law.

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 Respectfully submitted,
HERBERT H. SLATERY III
Attorney General and Reporter
/s/ Alexander S. Rieger
ALEXANDER S. RIEGER (BPR 029362)
Assistant Attorney General
JANET M. KLEINFELTER (BPR 013889)
Deputy Attorney General
STEVEN A. HART (BPR 007050)
Special Counsel
MATTHEW D. CLOUTIER (BPR 036710)
KELLEY L. GROOVER (BPR 034738)
Assistant Attorneys General
Office of the Attorney General
Public Interest Division
P.O. Box 20207
Nashville, TN 37202
(615) 741-2408
Attorneys for Defendants

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 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I hereby certify that true and exact copies of the foregoing Response have been forwarded
by email transmission to:
Dale E. Ho
Sophia Lin Lakin
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation
125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10004

Steven J. Mulroy
1 North Front Street
Memphis, TN 38103

Angela M. Liu
Dechert LLP
35 West Wacker Drive
Suite 3400
Chicago, IL 60601

Jacob Webster Brown
Melody Dernocoeur
Bruce S. Kramer
6000 Poplar Ave. Ste. 150
Memphis, TN 38119

Thomas H. Castelli
ACLU Foundation of Tennessee
P.O. Box 120160
Nashville, TN 37212
Neil A. Steiner
Dechert LLP
1095 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
Tharuni A. Jayaraman
Dechert LLP
1900 K Street NW
Washington, DC 20006

on this 5th day June 2020.

/s/ Janet M. Kleinfelter___________
JANET M. KLEINFELTER
Deputy Attorney General

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