Washington (CNN) The Supreme Court on Monday ruled on two highly anticipated gerrymandering cases in Texas and North Carolina, in orders that mean most of the controversial maps in both states will likely be used this fall's midterm elections.

The court upheld three of four district maps in Texas that critics argued intentionally discriminated against minority voters, but struck down one.

In North Carolina, it wiped away a lower court opinion that had invalidated congressional maps there as an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander.

The decision on Monday marked yet another step by the Supreme Court on gerrymandering cases. Last week, the court punted on alleged gerrymandering in Wisconsin and Maryland, allowing the maps to stand for now.

"The common thread in the court's gerrymandering decisions this term has been to generally make it harder for plaintiffs to bring these claims," said CNN legal analyst and University of Texas Law School professor Steve Vladeck, "and to generally allow states more flexibility and deference in drawing congressional and state district lines."

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