North State Journal: “The newly appointed judge in the long-running Leandro case gave instructions to both parties in the case ahead of the April 20 informational deadline imposed by the N.C. Supreme Court in a March 18 order.
Special Superior Court Judge Michael Robinson was appointed to oversee the case on March 21 by Chief Justice Paul Newby. Robinson was first appointed to the seat in 2016 by former Gov. Pat McCrory and was re-appointed in 2021 by Gov. Roy Cooper.
The N.C. Supreme Court’s March 18 order instructed Robinson to examine the impact of the 2021 biennial budget on his predecessor retired Judge David Lee’s funding order. Lee’s order directed three state agencies go around the legislature to transfer $1.7 billion from the state’s coffers.
The N.C. Court of Appeals blocked Lee’s transfer order in December of 2021.
Robinson has instructed the defendants to provide his court with their assessment by April 4 of just how much of the $1.7 billion is impacted by the 2021 budget.
House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Kings Mountain) and Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Eden) filed to become intervenors in the case last December. The attorney representing them, Attorney Matthew Tilley, indicated they believe $900 million out of the $1.7 billion was funded.”