U.S. District Judge Sharon Blackburn has ruled (pdf) that a complaint challenging Alabama’s recently-enacted immigration law lacks specificity, and ordered the plaintiffs to amend the pleading. The complaint, filed by 36 immigration and civil rights organizations against 11 defendants, contains “380 paragraphs, including 144 paragraphs of facts and history,” and 9 counts–with each count incorporating all previous factual allegations. Labeled a “shotgun complaint” by Judge Blackburn, the plaintiffs were directed to clarify, by September 16, 2011, for each discrete claim:

• which plaintiff(s) asserts the claim;
• the defendant(s) against whom relief is sought; and
• all factual allegations that support the discrete claim.

The organizations’ lawsuit is one of three challenges to the law; the U.S. Department of Justice and a group of religious leaders also have filed suit. As discussed here previously, on August 29, 2011, Judge Blackburn temporarily enjoined enforcement of the law.

Photo credit: Christian Baig Photography