Holmes v. Danner

191 F. Supp. 394
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Georgia
DecidedJanuary 10, 1961
DocketCiv. A. 450
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 191 F. Supp. 394 (Holmes v. Danner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Holmes v. Danner, 191 F. Supp. 394 (M.D. Ga. 1961).

Opinion

BOOTLE, District Judge.

Granting Permanent Injunction after Full and Final Trial.

Following a hearing on plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction in the above-styled action, this court filed its memorandum opinion, 191 F.Supp. 385, including findings of fact and conclur sions of law, on September 25, 1960 denying said motion for preliminary injunction. That memorandum fully sets forth plaintiffs’ contentions and makes specific findings of fact regarding plaintiffs’ applications and the action taken with respect to those applications on appeal through administrative channels prior to September 14, 1960. That memorandum and its findings of fact and conclusions of law are incorporated herein and made a part hereof by this reference thereto.

Since the filing of the court’s memorandum on September 25, 1960, a full and final trial lasting four and one-half days has been held, the record of that trial has been transcribed and made available to the court, and counsel for both sides have submitted exhaustive briefs, and the court has carefully considered the record of the trial and the evidence adduced thereat, together with the briefs and affidavits submitted by each side. This memorandum opinion is intended to comply with the requirements of Fed.R. Civ.P. 52, 28 U.S.C.A., relative to the court’s findings of fact and conclusions of law.

At a pre-trial conference, held on November 18, 1960, prior to the full and final trial of this action, plaintiffs filed an amended complaint correcting “certain typographical errors apparent on the face” of the original complaint, alleging additional facts allegedly evidencing discrimination, and dismissing Paul Kea, assistant director of admissions, University of Georgia, as a party defendant, but making no “substantive change in the original cause of action.”

In his answer to the amended complaint defendant denies the material allegations of plaintiffs’ complaint and denies generally “the existence of any policy, practice or custom of limiting admission to the University of Georgia to white persons” and that “plaintiffs were excluded because of their race or color.” Defendant also contends that plaintiffs have failed to exhaust their administrative remedies and that their action should therefore be dismissed.

While the complaint in this law suit seeks, as its objective, results never heretofore existent in this state, nonetheless, the problem, procedure and routine here, as in all law suits, must be and are the ascertainment of the law, the determination of the facts, and the application of the one to the other. The basic law applicable here is now generally known and, in fact, is not in dispute in this case. Simply stated, it is that any citizen of the State of Georgia applying for admission as a student to any public, tax-supported college or university of the State, if otherwise qualified, cannot be denied admission solely because of his race or color. Lucy v. Adams, D.C.N.D. Ala.1955, 134 F.Supp. 235, affirmed 5 Cir., 228 F.2d 619; Sweatt v. Painter, 1950, 339 U.S. 629, 70 S.Ct. 848, 94 L.Ed. 1114; Brown v. Board of Education, 1954, 347 U.S. 483, 74 S.Ct. 686, 98 L.Ed. 873; Hunt v. Arnold, D.C.N.D.Ga.1959, 172 F.Supp. 847. Able counsel for defendant make no contention that plaintiffs should not be admitted to the University of Georgia if they are qualified and comply with admission procedures, and if facilities are available. Therefore, the court is presented with the precise issue of whether defendant has de *397 nied plaintiffs admission to University of Georgia solely because of their race or color.

Action in re Applications Since September 14, 1960.

Following the order of this court filed September 25, 1960 refusing plaintiffs’ prayer for preliminary injunction, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia met on October 21, 1960, and adopted the following report of its committee on education:

“The Committee on Education has carefully considered the appeals of Charlayne A. Hunter and Hamilton E. Holmes, applicants for admission to the University of Georgia.
“From its examination of the records relating to these applicants, the Committee is of the opinion that they failed to complete the required procedures, and that consequently the University authorities have been in no position to consider their applications. The appeals from the Director of Admissions were taken before that official had made, or had opportunity to make, any decision, and were apparently premature.
“Accordingly, treating the appeals of Charlayne A. Hunter and Hamilton E. Holmes as properly before the Board of Regents, the Committee on Education recommends that they be denied, but without projudiee [sic] to the rights of the applicants to renew and pursue their applications.”

This information was conveyed to plaintiffs by the Board by letter dated October 21, 1960.

Thereafter, defendant, together with Assistant Registrar Paul Kea and Admissions Counselor Morris Phelps, conducted a personal interview of plaintiff Hunter on November 5, 1960 and of plaintiff Holmes on November 18, 1960. On November 29, 1960 defendant wrote plaintiff Hunter as follows:

“You indicated in your interview on November 5, 1960, that you desired to transfer to the University of Georgia as soon as possible. You also stated that you were now attending Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.
“I would like to confirm my statement to you that for the Winter and Spring Quarters of 1961 we are accepting students only within the same categories as we did last Winter and Spring. It might be that some applicants who come within these categories cannot be accepted due to limited facilities.
“We will begin after April 1,1961, considering transfers for the 1961 Fall Quarter. A transcript through the first semester or the first two quarters of 1960-61 is a prerequisite for consideration.
“We will consider you, along with other applicants, for the 1961 Fall Quarter if it is your desire to transfer.”

Also on November 29, 1960 defendant addressed the following letter to plaintiff Holmes:

“When you were in our office for your personal interview on November 18, I advised you that we could not consider your application for the Winter or Spring Quarters of 1961 as we are accepting students only within the same categories as we did last Winter and Spring.
“From a review of your records and on the basis of your personal interview, we are of the opinion that you do not qualify as a suitable applicant to the University of Georgia and you are hereby denied admission.
“We regret that we are unable to accomodate [sic] you in your request.”

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Bluebook (online)
191 F. Supp. 394, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/holmes-v-danner-gamd-1961.