The original consent decree
https://www.brennancenter.org/sites/default/files/legacy/Democracy/dnc.v.rnc/1982%20consent%20decree.pdf
Complaint which resulted in above consent decree
https://www.brennancenter.org/sites/default/files/legacy/Democracy/dnc.v.rnc/1981%20complaint.pdf
1987 consent decree
https://www.brennancenter.org/sites/default/files/legacy/Democracy/dnc.v.rnc/1987%20consent%20decree.pdf
The important bit on the first consent decree above, is on page 3, section 2-e, where the RNC is prohibited from doing anything to challenge voters qualifications
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3704480/posts?page=45#45
nice explanation!
“Democrats (in NJ, I believe) claimed that the GOP was disenfranchising minority voters in that state in some way, not remembering exactly how. Judge in that state created a consent decree that forbid the GOP from taking any actions that disenfranchised minority voters, but that decree was made to cover the entire GOP, not just the NJ GOP. Someone from the GOP in NJ stupidly went along with it and signed it, and that same judge made sure to re-certify that decree every time that action was needed, right up until his death a little while back. He was the only judge that could re-certify it, so upon his death, the decree came to an end. Pretty shady stuff, to say the least. “