RALEIGH, N.C. -- A federal court ruling late Monday has left a lot of questions for state leaders and congressional candidates.

• The court said the current congressional districts are gerrymandered
• A three-judge panel said the lines by Republican legislative leaders are unconstitutional
• The court asked the plaintiffs and defendants to file briefs by Friday suggesting remedies to their decision

The court said the current congressional districts are gerrymandered.

In an opinion that was over 300 pages long, the three-judge panel said the lines by Republican legislative leaders are unconstitutional because they rely too heavily on making sure Republicans keep a majority of seats in the state.

Constitutional law professor Greg Wallace says that opinion will catch the attention of the Supreme Court justices, who have been starting to consider partisan gerrymandering cases. But he says if this case is appealed to them, he's not sure the court would allow the elections be on hold.

"The closer you move to the election, the less likely the Supreme Court is going to want to disrupt the election," Wallace said.

One solution the court suggested was to redraw the lines before this fall's election which would delay the vote until January or February.

The court asked the plaintiffs and defendants to file briefs by Friday suggesting remedies to their decision.