An incumbent Democrat narrowly won re-election to the state’s highest court. But the Republican-controlled court is considering an unusual protest from her challenger that could flip the result.

While all eyes were on Judge Jefferson Griffin’s attempt to discard ballots in a case that’s now with the state Supreme Court, there’s a parallel action, with a hearing today, in Wake Superior Court in a lawsuit brought by the Republican Party.

A federal appeals court has agreed to hear more arguments involving a close election in November for a North Carolina Supreme Court seat.