Burton v. Hobbie

543 F. Supp. 235, 1982 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13214
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Alabama
DecidedJune 21, 1982
DocketCiv. A. 81-617-N
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 543 F. Supp. 235 (Burton v. Hobbie) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Burton v. Hobbie, 543 F. Supp. 235, 1982 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13214 (M.D. Ala. 1982).

Opinions

HOBBS, District Judge:

Plaintiffs brought this class action on behalf of themselves and all other black citizens of the State of Alabama on November 5, 1981, contending that the legislation directed toward reapportionment of the Alabama Legislature (Act No. 81-1049) violated the rights of black citizens under the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments of the Constitution of the [236]*236United States and 42 U.S.C. §§ 1973 and 1983. Plaintiffs also, charged that said reapportionment legislation impermissibly created large population variances in both legislative houses which - are inconsistent with the equal protection requirement of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution and also is violative of the Alabama constitutional requirement that requires preservation of county boundaries. Plaintiffs sought an injunction enjoining the defendants, the Probate Judge of Montgomery County, Alabama, and the Secretary of State of Alabama, from holding, supervising or certifying the candidates or results of any election for the House of Representatives or Senate of the Alabama Legislature under the reapportionment plan provided by said Act No. 81-1049. Plaintiffs also prayed that this Court would allow the Alabama Legislature a reasonable opportunity to enact a fair and racially non-discriminatory reapportionment plan subject to the preclearance provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended, (42 U.S.C. § 1973), and the approval of this Court. Alternatively, plaintiffs prayed that if the Alabama Legislature failed to enact such a reapportionment plan, this Court would order the implementation of a reapportionment plan for the legislative elections in September and November, 1982.

A three-judge court was convened pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2284(a). Jurisdiction of this Court was properly invoked pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331, 1343(3) and 1343(4) for violations of the United States Constitution and Title 42 U.S.C. § 1983. On May 21, 1982, the Court certified plaintiffs as proper representatives of the plaintiff class and defendant Walker Hobbie, Jr. as a proper representative of defendant class and ordered the case to proceed as a class action. Proceedings Relative to Legislative Efforts to Reapportion

On May 6, 1982, the Attorney General of the United States entered an objection to Act No. 81-1049 under the authority granted him by Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, thereby rendering said Act unenforceable unless court review pursuant to said Act by the United States District Court for the District of Columbia reversed the decision of the Attorney General.

On May 10, 1982, plaintiffs filed an amended complaint pointing out the action of the Attorney General relative to Act No. 81- 1049, and plaintiffs also petitioned for an emergency preliminary injunction, alleging that the objections of the Attorney General made it impossible to get a legislative reapportionment plan approved by the Attorney General in time for the legislative elections which have as their qualifying dates June 5 to July 9, 1982, with primary elections set for September 7, 1982.

This Court set a hearing on May 14,1982. At that hearing defendants’ attorneys advised the Court that they would seek an emergency session of the Alabama Legislature to secure passage of a new reapportionment plan which defendants would hope would meet the objections of the Attorney General. Following that hearing, this Court issued its order of May 21, 1982. This order directed plaintiffs to file their suggested interim reapportionment plan by May 21,1982, and defendants were directed to file their amended suggested plan by June 4,1982. By this Court’s order, defendants were given to June 8, 1982 to obtain preclearance by the Attorney General of an amended legislative plan.

Because plaintiffs’ redistricting plan was not filed with the Court on May 21, 1982, defendants were allowed additional time to file objections to plaintiffs’ plan. Plaintiffs filed an Amended Plan A on June 4, 1982 and also filed a “Suggested Plan B” on that date. Defendants objected to consideration of these plans because defendants did not have the time to study adequately these plans.

On June 1,1982, the Alabama Legislature enacted a second redistricting bill, Act No. 82- 629, which defendants contend meets the objections of the Attorney General. Even before its enactment, the bill was submitted to the Attorney General. On May 25, the Assistant Attorney General of the United States wrote the Attorney General of Alabama that the proposed modifi[237]*237cations appear for the most part to address the May 6, 1982 objection. The letter of May 25 pointed out, however, the lack of opportunity for detailed analysis or informed public comment. The letter also commented that if the proposed legislation is enacted, the Attorney General would need further examination of redistricting in seven counties. After the proposed legislation was enacted by the Alabama Legislature, it was again submitted to the Attorney General. The Assistant Attorney General of the United States on June 8 gave his response to Act No. 82-629, stating that the Attorney General of the United States is not able to conclude in the limited time available that the enactment meets all of the concerns of the Attorney General as to six “Black Belt” districts and one Jefferson County district. In these circumstances, he wrote: “. . . our evaluation of your submission cannot be favorably completed at this time.” The letter continued that in all other respects than with the enumerated seven counties, the redistricting in Act No. 82-629 meets standards of the Voting Rights Act.

At a second hearing on June 14, 1982, all parties agreed that the Court must act within the next week if the scheduled elections can go forward at the times presently set for such elections. The parties agreed that any plan of redistricting adopted by the Court should be an interim plan. They also agreed that it would take this Court a week or more after it got the necessary data to make changes in the seven counties which would accord with plaintiffs’ treatment of these counties in plaintiffs’ Plan B. They conceded that because of the “ripple” effect of changing district lines within the Black Belt counties, the Court would probably have to change district lines in approximately thirty other counties. No one believed this could be done and adhere to the election schedule. Defendants urge as an interim solution the implementation of Act No. 82-629. Plaintiffs urge the adoption of plaintiffs’ Plan B.

At the request of the Court, the parties on June 17, 1982, provided the Court with suggested modifications in the redistricting provided in Act No. 82-629 to meet the suspected concerns of the Attorney General as to the uncleared six Black Belt counties and District 36 in Jefferson County.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
543 F. Supp. 235, 1982 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13214, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/burton-v-hobbie-almd-1982.