Correll v. Herring et al., No. 3:16CV467 (2016), was a case argued before the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. The case centered on the constitutionality of the Commonwealth of Virginia’s election laws regarding the binding of political party delegates to a presidential nomination convention as part of the Never Trump movement prior to the 2016 Republican National Convention. The case was filed on June 24, 2016. On July 11, 2016, Judge Robert Payne issued a memorandum opinion permanently enjoining the Commonwealth of Virginia from enforcing the section of Virginia election law under challenge. The ruling is considered a symbolic victory in Republican delegate efforts to deny Donald Trump the Republican nomination.
Case history
On March 1, 2016, the Republican and Democratic parties held presidential primaries in Virginia. Trump and Hillary Clinton won those contests. Under Virginia law, Republican and Democratic delegates were obligated to vote, on the first national convention ballot, for Trump and Clinton, respectively.