Case: Conley v. Lake Charles School Board, Calcasieu Parish School Board
2:64-cv-09981 | U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana
Filed Date: 1964
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Case Summary
(This summary is temporary, while we continue to research this case.)
These twenty-nine school desegregation cases in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana were consolidated after they were remanded by the Fifth Circuit in Adams v. Mathews. In Adams, the Fifth Circuit ordered the district court to determine if freedom of choice plans were “adequate to convert the dual system to a unitary system in which racial discrimination would be eliminated root and branch.” The district court held that the freedom of choice plans were adequate to eliminate dual systems (segregated school systems) and foster the creation of a unitary systems (desegregated school systems). Conley v. Lake Charles Sch. Bd., 293 F. Supp. 84 (W.D. La. 1968).
The decision in Conley was then appealed to the Fifth Circuit. These cases were consolidated with other cases from across Louisiana on appeal under the name Hall v. St. Helena Parish School Board. The Fifth Circuit held that freedom of choice plans were inadequate to desegregate the schools and the cases were remanded to the district court. 417 F.2d 801 (5th Cir. 1969). The cases returned to the district court. The district court, sitting en banc, held that each local school system had to consider their unique problems and, working together with the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW), had to consider their unique circumstances when creating new desegregation plans. Conley v. Lake Charles Sch. Bd., 303 F. Supp. 394 (W.D. La. 1969). The district court then approved individual school desegregation plans one by one. Some of those plans were appealed, so the Fifth Circuit stepped in to adjust the plans as it saw fit.
The plaintiffs sought additional relief from the district court in 1970 in accordance with the Fifth Circuit decision in Hall. v. St. Helena Parish School Board, 417 F.2d 801 (5th Cir. 1969). The district court ruled that school desegregation plans submitted by HEW had to contain provisions in line with Singleton v. Jackson Municipal Separate School District regarding faculty, staff, transportation, extracurricular activities, facilities, and transfer. 419 F.2d 1211 (5th Cir. 1969). After the district court approved the desegregation plans, the plaintiffs appealed again. The Fifth Circuit adopted adjustments to the HEW plans so that the plans were constitutional.
Available Opinions
Conley v. Lake Charles Sch. Bd., 293 F. Supp. 84 (W.D. La. 1968) (per curiam).
Hall v. St. Helena Parish Sch. Bd., 417 F.2d 801 (5th Cir. 1969).
Conley v. Lake Charles Sch. Bd., 303 F. Supp. 394 (W.D. La. 1969) (en banc).
Conley v. Lake Charles Sch. Bd., 314 F. Supp. 1282 (W.D. La. 1970).
Conley v. Lake Charles Sch. Bd., 434 F.2d 35 (5th Cir. 1970).
Summary Authors
Amelia Huckins (4/8/2017)
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People
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/33625016/parties/conley-v-lake-charles-school-board/
Cain, James David (Louisiana)
Jolly, E. Grady (Mississippi)
King, Carolyn Dineen [Randall] (Louisiana)
Greenberg, Jack (New York)
Jr, Frank T (Louisiana)
Documents in the Clearinghouse
Docket
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/33625016/conley-v-lake-charles-school-board/
Last updated Sept. 18, 2026, 2:24 a.m.
Docket for: Conley v. Lake Charles School Board
Case Details
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: 1964
Case Details
Other Dockets:
Western District of Louisiana 2:64-cv-09981
Western District of Louisiana 2:80-cv-01709
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit 84-00306
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit 69-26450
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit 70-30100
Case Summary of Conley v. Lake Charles School Board, Calcasieu Parish School Board, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/13810/ (last updated 4/8/2017).