A federal judge in Santa Ana Monday pushed to resolve a civil dispute between the U.S. Justice Department and the Orange County Registrar of Voters to avoid putting elected officials “in limbo” in upcoming elections.

U.S. District Judge David O. Carter told the attorneys involved in the case he was concerned it would establish precedence, so that going through the usual motions might just slow the process unnecessarily. For instance, if the county won just on the legal question, it would just prompt the Justice Department to amend the complaint and the process would start all over again.

Carter said he could see the case going all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

“Right now this case is moving slowly and I’d like to move it forward,” Carter said.

Carter told attorney Suzanne Shoai of

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