Filed Date: 1975
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On June 9, 1975, black citizens of Mobile County, Alabama, filed a class action lawsuit under the Voting Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1973, against the Board of School Commissioners of Mobile County in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama. The plaintiffs, represented by private counsel, asked the court for declaratory and injunctive relief, alleging that the at-large elections processes of the Mobile County School Board Commissioners violated the Voting Rights Act of 1964 as well as the Constitution by discriminating against the black voters of Mobile County, diluting their voting strength.
On December 9, 1976, the District Court (Judge T. Virgil Pittman) found for the plaintiffs. Brown v. Moore, 428 F. Supp. 1123 (M.D. Ala. 1976).
On June 2, 1978, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals summarily affirmed the District Court's decision. Brown v. Moore, 575 F.2d 298 (5th Cir. 1978).
On April 22, 1980, the Supreme Court of the United States vacated the Fifth Circuit's judgment and remanded the case to the District Court for further proceedings consistent with City of Mobile v. Bolden, 446 U.S. 55 (1980). Williams v. Brown? 446 U.S. 236 (1980).
In December 1980, the United States entered the suit as an intervenor for the plaintiff, and sought declaratory and injunctive relief requiring district elections pending the results of the trial.
On April 15, 1982, the District Court (Judge Pittman) found for the plaintiffs, holding that the purpose of the County's policy was voter dilution. Brown v. Board of School Commissioners of Mobile County, 542 F.Supp. 1078 (M.D. Ala. 1980)
On June 6, 1983, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals (Judge James C. Hill) affirmed the District Court's decision, finding that the District Court's findings were not clearly erroneous. Brown v. Board of School Commissioners of Mobile County, 706 F.2d 1103 (11th Cir. 1983).
On October 3, 1983, the Supreme Court denied the application to stay the Eleventh Circuit's decision. Board of School Commissioners of Mobile County v. Brown, 464 U.S. 807 (1983). And, on December 5, 1983, the Supreme Court affirmed the Circuit Court's decision. Board of School Commissioners of Mobile County v. Brown, 464 U.S. 1005 (1983).
Summary Authors
Lauren Miller (7/17/2006)
Blacksher, James U. (Alabama)
Allen, William H. (Alabama)
Campbell, Robert C. III (Alabama)
Clear, John Michael (Missouri)
Days, Drew S. III (District of Columbia)
Days, Drew S. III (District of Columbia)
Dimsey, Dennis J. (District of Columbia)
Eisenstein, Miriam R. (District of Columbia)
Gornstein, Irving (District of Columbia)
Hancock, Paul F. (District of Columbia)
Landsberg, Brian K. (District of Columbia)
McCree, Wade Hampton Jr. (Michigan)
Silver, Jessica Dunsay (District of Columbia)
Stillman, Elinor Hadley (District of Columbia)
Turner, James P. (District of Columbia)
Last updated Aug. 30, 2023, 3:02 p.m.
Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: 1975
Case Details
Other Dockets:
Southern District of Alabama 75-00298
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit 82-07130
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit 82-07236
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit 77-01583
Supreme Court of the United States 78-00357
Supreme Court of the United States 83-00334
Supreme Court of the United States 00182
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