Filed Date: Sept. 26, 1994
Closed Date: May 4, 2006
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This action is one of two cases filed in federal court that challenged a New York State law that prohibited people from voting because they were incarcerated or on parole for a felony conviction. The other case, [Hayden v. Pataki], was filed in the Southern District of New York in September 2000, while this case was filed in the Northern District of New York in September 1994.
Here, the District Court (Judge Norman A. Mordue) granted the defendants' motion for summary judgment by an order dated January 24, 2001, holding that New York State's felon disenfranchisement scheme was immune from challenges under the Voting Rights Act. Plaintiff appealed and a panel of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the decision. 366 F.3d 102 (2nd Cir. 2004). A petition for writ of certiorari to the Supreme Court was denied. 543 U.S. 978, 125 S.Ct. 480, 160 L.Ed.2d 356 (2004). Plaintiff petitioned the Second Circuit for a rehearing en banc, which was granted. 396 F.3d 95 (2nd Cir. 2004).
The en banc U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit consolidated this case with Hayden v. Pataki. Both cases presented a common issue: ''whether, on the pleadings, a claim that a New York State statute, Section 5-106 of the New York Election Law, that disenfranchises currently imprisoned felons and parolees results in unlawful vote denial and/or vote dilution can state a claim for violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The en banc Court (Circuit Judge Josie A. Cabrames) held that it could not. 449 F.3d 305 (2nd Cir. 2006). The en banc Court found that the plaintiffs' claim failed because New York's apportionment process, ''which counts incarcerated prisoners as residents of the communities in which they are incarcerated," had the alleged effect of increasing upstate New York regions' populations at the expense of New York City's. The en banc Court remanded Hayden so that the District Court could decide that claim. (See Hayden v. Pataki for a summary of further case proceedings in Hayden.)
Simultaneously with the filing of the Hayden opinion, the en banc court de-consolidated Muntaqim and Hayden and entered a judgment vacating the District Court opinion and dismissing Muntaqim's claims for lack of standing. See Muntaqim v. Coombe, 449 F.3d 371 (2d Cir. May 4, 2006) (per curiam ).
Summary Authors
Dan Dalton (11/26/2007)
Hayden v. Pataki, Southern District of New York (2000)
Cabranes, José Alberto (Connecticut)
Cardamone, Richard J. (New York)
DiBianco, Gustave Joseph (New York)
Hall, Peter W. (Vermont)
Katzmann, Robert A. (New York)
Meskill, Thomas Joseph (Connecticut)
Mordue, Norman A. (New York)
Parker, Barrington Daniels Jr. (New York)
Pooler, Rosemary S. (New York)
Raggi, Reena (New York)
Cabranes, José Alberto (Connecticut)
Cardamone, Richard J. (New York)
DiBianco, Gustave Joseph (New York)
Hall, Peter W. (Vermont)
Katzmann, Robert A. (New York)
Meskill, Thomas Joseph (Connecticut)
Mordue, Norman A. (New York)
Parker, Barrington Daniels Jr. (New York)
Pooler, Rosemary S. (New York)
Raggi, Reena (New York)
Sotomayor, Sonia (District of Columbia)
Straub, Chester J. (New York)
Walker, John Mercer Jr. (New York)
Wesley, Richard C. (New York)
Bianco, William A. (Colorado)
Coll, J. Peter Jr. (New York)
Cutler, Joshua M. (New York)
Jones, Cleo A. (New York)
Miller, Gale T. (Colorado)
Myslinski, Tara J. (New York)
Rauchway, Jonathan W. (New York)
Aronowitz, Michelle M. (District of Columbia)
Dearing, Richard (New York)
Freshour, Richard J. (New York)
Gutman, Benjamin (New York)
Halligan, Caitlin J. (New York)
Klass, Gregory (New York)
Schiff, Peter H. (New York)
Sheridan, Julie M. (New York)
Spitzer, Eliot (New York)
Abbott, Greg (Texas)
Acosta, R. Alexander (District of Columbia)
Allen, Jessie (New York)
Barbur, Peter T. (New York)
Barry, Kim (New York)
Bloom, Robert (New York)
Borden, Charles E. (New York)
Bradshaw, Sheldon T. (District of Columbia)
Burbach, Edward Donald (Texas)
Carter, Zachary W. (New York)
Chambers, Julius LeVonne (New York)
Ciccolo, Angela (Maryland)
Coleman–Davis, Veronica F. (New York)
Cooper, Charles Justin (District of Columbia)
Cruz, Rafael Edward (Ted) (Texas)
Danetz, Lisa J (Massachusetts)
Douglas, Derek R.B. (New York)
Earls, Anita S. (North Carolina)
Eisenberg, Arthur (New York)
Estrada, Danielle M. (New York)
Flynn, David K. (District of Columbia)
Foreman, Michael L. (District of Columbia)
Garber, Mitchell S. (New York)
Goldberg, Deborah A. (New York)
Goldman, Jonah H. (District of Columbia)
Goode, Victor L. (Maryland)
Greenbaum, Jon M. (District of Columbia)
Hacker, Jonathon D. (New York)
Hammack, Scott M. (New York)
Henderson, Alma C. (District of Columbia)
Johnson-Blanco, Marcia (District of Columbia)
Lassar, Scott (New York)
Lustberg, Lawrence S. (New Jersey)
Marks, Leonard (New York)
McBee, Barry Ross (Texas)
McDonald, Laughlin (Georgia)
McKnight, Cynthia M. (District of Columbia)
Mincberg, Elliot M. (District of Columbia)
Northup, Nancy (New York)
Salmons, David B. (District of Columbia)
Schechtman, Paul (New York)
Schmitt, Joanna (New York)
Shapiro, Steven R. (New York)
Smith, Grasford W. (District of Columbia)
Stowe, Matthew F. (Texas)
Strugar, Matthew D. (New York)
Tarson, Derek Sherman (New York)
Thompson, David H. (District of Columbia)
White, David Hugh (District of Columbia)
Wright, Brenda (Massachusetts)
Last updated May 12, 2022, 8 p.m.
State / Territory: New York
Case Type(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: Sept. 26, 1994
Closing Date: May 4, 2006
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
New York citizens who are of lawful voting age, and who are denied the right to vote because of being incarcerated or on parole, and as a result of a felony conviction
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: Yes
Class Action Sought: Yes
Class Action Outcome: Denied
Defendants
New York State Department of Correctional Services, State
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Constitutional Clause(s):
Availably Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Defendant
Nature of Relief:
Source of Relief:
Issues
General:
Voting: