A rancorous partisan battle over Gov. Terry McAuliffe's pick for the state Supreme Court quickly escalated Monday and could be headed to court.

The fight also effectively killed any chances that lawmakers will be able to redraw the state's congressional map in time to meet a deadline imposed by a panel of federal judges.

Senate Democrats, with the help of a retiring moderate GOP state senator, abruptly adjourned Monday after rejecting a GOP-favored pick for the state Supreme Court.

Democrats believe their sudden adjournment gives the Democratic governor the ability to reappoint Justice Jane Marum Roush next month, after her initial brief appointment expires.

Republicans disagree, and said Democrats have misinterpreted the state's Constitution.

Senate Minority Leader Richard L. Saslaw, a Democrat from Fairfax County, predicted it'll be up to the courts to ultimately decide.

McAuliffe "will reappoint her and you'll just have to wait and see how everything plays out in the courts, okay? It's the American way," Saslaw said.

Lawmakers had ostensibly returned to Richmond for the start of a special session to redraw the state's congressional map.

In June, a federal court concluded for a second time that legislators in 2012 illegally packed black voters into the 3rd District in order to make adjacent districts safer for Republican incumbents. The panel gave lawmakers until Sept. 1 to draw a new map.