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Does anyone know more about the procedural history of this case? The way it's written right now doesn't make much sense to me - it reads like the case should be any of Gore v. Harris,Bush v. Gore, or Bush v. Florida Supreme Court, yet the actual case is Bush v. Palm Beach County Canvassing Board. Where did the Canvassing Board enter into this? How can Bush "appeal" the decision of the Florida Supreme Court if it was Gore challenging Harris's decision? I'm sure there's a relatively simple background and explanation, but it isn't in the article. --PhilosopherLet us reason together.04:23, 22 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Take a look at the different opinions listed at 2000 term per curiam opinions of the Supreme Court of the United States; this SCOTUS opinion and the Bush v. Gore opinion arose in two separately filed (though obviously factually related) cases (i.e., two different lawsuits initiated by two different complaints). The per curiam list shows the procedural history for each case. Also note that the case name doesn't list all the parties to a lawsuit, just the lead parties in the case caption. postdlf (talk) 15:45, 22 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]
You can also look to the Court's opinion in Bush v. Gorehere for an overview: the second paragraph of the opinion summarizes what happened in the lawsuit in which the Bush v. Palm Beach County Canvassing Board opinion was handed down ("A dispute arose concerning the deadline for local county canvassing boards to submit their returns to the Secretary of State"); the third paragraph starts summarizing the second lawsuit, in which the Court's Bush v. Gore was handed down ("On November 26, the Florida Elections Canvassing Commission certified the results of the election and declared Governor Bush the winner...On November 27, Vice President Gore...filed a complaint in Leon County Circuit Court contesting the certification...").
The fact that all this happened in such a short period of time and regarding what looks like a single "event" makes it confusing, but it happens in less monumental circumstances as well. Often multiple parties may separately race to the courthouse regarding different aspects of what is ultimately the same set of facts, and if it lasts long enough the separate lawsuits get consolidated into one case, though there may still may be multiple rulings (and even appeals) that deal with only some of the issues and some of the parties. postdlf (talk) 17:56, 22 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]
