Lawyers want North Carolina justice to stay out of school funding case

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Lawyers for North Carolina Republican legislative leaders want a Supreme Court justice to stay out of ruling in a longstanding public education funding case because of her legal history.

Lawyers for House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger filed on Wednesday a recusal motion request for Associate Justice Anita Earls in what’s known as the “Leandro” case.

The state’s highest court scheduled oral arguments for Aug. 31 over what financial obligations the state has to help eliminate education inequities.

The GOP leaders’ attorneys are focusing on her role many years ago in representing some plaintiffs in the litigation and filing briefs in the matter.