Victor Bussie, Plaintiffs-Appellees-Appellants v. John J. McKeithen Governor of the State of Louisiana, Defendants-Appellants-Appellees

457 F.2d 796

Opinions

BY THE COURT:

This expedited appeal is from a judgment of the district court, 333 F.Supp. 452, under our remand of Sept. 4, 1971 ordering the district court to conduct a hearing on the Master’s proposed plan for reapportionment of the Louisiana legislature.

1. We hold that the district court correctly determined that the case was properly before him as a single judge.

2. We approve the dates, September 15 and 16, 1971, set by the district court for the qualification of candidates for the Louisiana legislature.

3. We affirm the judgment of the district court with the following modifications :

a) The boundaries of Senate districts 2, 3, 4, and 5 are modified so as to conform with the defendants-appellants’ alternate plan for those districts.

b) The boundaries of Senate districts 14, 15, and 16 are modified so as to conform with the DeBlieux alternate plan for those districts.

c) For the purposes of the forthcoming election only, we approve the reapportionment of Jefferson Parish as set forth in the Master’s plan and adopted by the district court. This approval is without prejudice to any challenge to the apportionment of Jefferson Parish for future elections.