Filed Date: Feb. 10, 1969
Closed Date: March 4, 2013
Clearinghouse coding complete
On February 10, 1969, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) filed this suit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana. The DOJ sued the Morehouse Parish School Board to enjoin the operation of a dual (segregated) school system in Morehouse Parish, Louisiana.
The district court (Judge Benjamin C. Dawkins Jr.) ordered the School Board to file a desegregation plan on or before July 5, 1969. However, the case was soon swept up in ongoing Fifth Circuit litigation about whether “freedom of choice” plans that allowed students to choose which schools to attend could adequately desegregate schools. It quickly became clear that freedom of choice plans would not pass constitutional muster, and the parties entered into negotiations to find a mutually agreeable desegregation plan. For more information on the Fifth Circuit litigation about freedom of choice plans, see this entry in the Clearinghouse.
On August 1, 1969, the district court approved the desegregation plan that Morehouse Parish School Board submitted to the district court on July 5, 1969. On November 4, 1969, the district court issued another decree stating “that a child shall attend the school in the district where his or her parents are domiciled and that any exception” to that rule “shall be presented by the Parents and the School Board affected” to the district court. The district court issued this decree following complaints to the Court that certain students in Morehouse Parish were violating the August 1, 1969 decree of the district court by attending schools in Monroe City, a nearby city in neighboring Ouachita Parish.
On August 17, 1970, pursuant to an agreement of the parties, the Court allowed the School Board to close Morehouse Elementary School during the 1970-71 school year; the students (except for 130 African American students), would be registered in other schools as the Court ordered, so long as the capacity of the schools is able to accommodate. The district court also ordered that the portion of Morehouse Elementary School not used for the 130 African-American students be used for Special Education Classes and for integrated kindergartens established for parish wide attendance. On August 6, 1971, the Court issued a decree modifying the August 1970 decree. These modifications included consolidation of schools and redistricting.
On February 21, 1978, twenty-nine individuals moved to intervene and also filed a proposed decree. On the same day, a joint motion to approve the Limited Exception Decree of November 4, 1969 was filed, but it is not recorded in any docket entry. This motion to intervene is presumably related to the district court approving an exception for some families living in Morehouse Parish to attend schools in the neighboring Ouachita Parish: On February 22, 1978, the district court granted a limited exception to families domiciled in Morehouse Parish to attend schools in Ouachita Parish, pursuant to agreement and approval by the Ouachita Parish School Board. This limited exception to the November 4, 1969 decree would expire at the end of the 1977-1978 school year and “in no event” be allowed to extend past May 30, 1978. The district court also added that the November 4, 1969 decree would remain in full force and apply to all the other students and parents in the Parish beginning no later than March 30, 1978, about one month after the order granting the exception was given.
The docket has no entries between March 22, 1979 and April 17, 2006 when the School Board made a motion to consolidate schools and reassign students. This motion was granted two days later. On August 14, 2008 the district court issued a memorandum to clarify confusion related to the School Board’s reporting requirements. To clarify the confusion, the Court amended the longstanding decree to require the School Board reports to contain: (a) enrollment by grade and race for each school for the current year; and (b) for each school, the name and race of each teacher employer for the current school year, notwithstanding any informal reporting agreements that the DOJ and Morehouse Parish agreed to.
In 2009, the School Board proposed further redistricting and consolidation of schools in Morehouse Parish. After a year of negotiation, on May 25, 2010, the district court issued an agreed-upon order ratifying changes along these lines. On March 29, 2012, the district court issued another memorandum after the DOJ and Morehouse Parish agreed that, after review, the Parish had complied with its desegregation obligations in the areas of extracurricular activities and facilities. However, the DOJ concluded that Morehouse Parish had not yet met its desegregation obligations with regard to student assignment, student transfers, faculty hiring and assignment, school construction and site selection, and quality of education, including discipline. The DOJ also did not take a position on whether or not Morehouse Parish had met its desegregation obligations with regard to transportation.
On February 28, 2013, the Morehouse Parish School Board sought a Declaration of Unitary Status--that is, an end to the case. On March 4, 2013, the district court agreed, closing the case 44 years after it was filed.
In April 2013, a group of African-American students attempted to revive the case, filing a new lawsuit, Madison ex rel. Z.M. v. Morehouse Parish Superintendent of School, No. 3:13-0833 (W.D. La. filed April 24, 2013), in which they alleged race discrimination in disciplinary decisionmaking. District Judge James Trimble rejected the new lawsuit on the basis of discovery non-cooperation by the plaintiffs and a failure to provide appropriate evidence in support of the claim. Judge Trimble did not further discuss the effort to revive the prior desegregation case. 2014 WL 2085207 (W.D. La. May 19, 2014).
Available Opinions
United States v. Morehouse Parish Sch. Bd., 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 62034 (W.D. La. Aug. 14, 2008)
United States v. Morehouse Parish Sch. Bd., 2013 WL 791578 (W.D. La. Mar. 4, 2013).
Madison v. Morehouse Parish Superintendent of Sch., 2014 WL 2085207 (W.D. La. May 19, 2014)
Summary Authors
Alaael-Deen Shilleh (4/30/2017)
Emma Himes (11/27/2019)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/5055292/parties/u-s-a-v-morehouse-parish/
Abely, William F. (Louisiana)
Ackerman, Daniel (Louisiana)
Adelstein, Jay David (Louisiana)
Alaniz, Anibal J (Louisiana)
Alberto, Christopher (Louisiana)
Dawkins, Benjamin Cornwell Jr. (Louisiana)
Hayes, Karen L. (Louisiana)
James, Robert Gillespie (Louisiana)
Trimble, James Travis Jr. (Louisiana)
Adelstein, Jay David (Louisiana)
Alberto, Christopher (Louisiana)
Anderson, Michael D. (Louisiana)
Andrejko, Nicole M. (Louisiana)
Asphaug, Scott Erik (Louisiana)
Attorney, Chief Criminal (Louisiana)
AUSA, Jonathan Ophardt (Louisiana)
AUSA, Tiffany Mallory (Louisiana)
AUSA), Katherine Ann (Louisiana)
Austin, Michael Duane (Louisiana)
Axelrad, Joseph David (Louisiana)
Baehr, James Stuart (Louisiana)
Bain-Creed, Benjamin (Louisiana)
Barofsky, Neil Michael (Louisiana)
Barrett, Laurie M. (Louisiana)
Bartolotto, James G. (Louisiana)
Bauman, Kenneth C. (Louisiana)
Bayens, Stephan Kenneth (Louisiana)
Beane, Eric Joseph (Louisiana)
Beaty, Andrew Douglas (Louisiana)
Beidel, Jennifer L. (Louisiana)
Bellows, Rebeca H. (Louisiana)
Bendor, Catherine A. (Louisiana)
Berg, Arianna Rebecca (Louisiana)
Bickers, Kathleen Louise (Louisiana)
Biersbach, Nicholas J. (Louisiana)
Biskupic, Steven M (Louisiana)
Bither, Christine A. (Louisiana)
Blackington, Bradley A. (Louisiana)
Blackwood, Elizabeth M (Louisiana)
Bolden, Scott David (Louisiana)
Booth, Patricia Hubert (Louisiana)
Brawley, Kimberly A (Louisiana)
Brier, Barbara Scott (Louisiana)
Brodsky, Reed Michael (Louisiana)
Brown, Jacqueline Camille (Louisiana)
Brown, Amy Elizabeth (Louisiana)
Burns, Jennifer Eileen (Louisiana)
Canter, Charles Edward (Louisiana)
Capriola, Richard J. (Louisiana)
Carney, Christopher James (Louisiana)
CARRILLO, MARIA M. (Louisiana)
Carroll, Eric Vincent (Louisiana)
Catanese, Liah Chantal (Louisiana)
Cavanaugh, Kelly A. (Louisiana)
Cazares, Stephen A (Louisiana)
Chan, Andrew Ken-Wei (Louisiana)
Chase, Sara Elizabeth (Louisiana)
Chernoff, Harry A. (Louisiana)
Clark, Kenneth Sutherland (Louisiana)
Clark, Casey Michael (Louisiana)
Cohen, Richard Edward (Louisiana)
Collins, Stephan A. (Louisiana)
Connally, Charlie Dustin (Louisiana)
Cooper, Richard Alan (Louisiana)
COPELAND, KATAYOUN M. (Louisiana)
Counihan, Brian J. (Louisiana)
Crowley, Shawn Geovjian (Louisiana)
Crytzer, Katherine A. (Louisiana)
D'Alessandro, Mark Thomas (Louisiana)
Dann, Mark (District of Columbia)
Davies, Patricia W. (Louisiana)
Davis, Nanette Louise (Louisiana)
DellaBetta, Matthew (Louisiana)
Dempsey, Jamie Goss (Louisiana)
Department, Probation (Louisiana)
DEVANEY, WILLIAM HASTINGS (Louisiana)
DeWitte, Conrad Joseph (Louisiana)
Dick, Catherine Kuo (Louisiana)
Dickinson, Daniel W. (Louisiana)
DIVINY, CHRISTOPHER (Louisiana)
Domaszek, Bridget J (Louisiana)
Domingue, Camille A (Louisiana)
Donaleski, Rebekah Allen (Louisiana)
Duane, J. Mackenzie (Louisiana)
Dunn, Sean Michael (Louisiana)
Dupris, Cheryl Schrempp (Louisiana)
Duva, Andrew Tysen (Louisiana)
Eddy, Ethan Carson (Louisiana)
Edwards, Sebastian Alexander (Louisiana)
Elbert, Lauren Howard (Louisiana)
Eliopoulos, George Peter (Louisiana)
Ellsworth, Marci L. (Louisiana)
Euliss, Richard D. (Louisiana)
Everdell, Christian R. (Louisiana)
Faruqui, Zia Mustafa (Louisiana)
Feinzig, Margery B. (Louisiana)
Fisherow, W Benjamin (Louisiana)
Fitzpatrick, Dennis (Louisiana)
Foley, David Allen (Louisiana)
Franzinger, Thomas Carl (Louisiana)
Frohling, Richard G (Louisiana)
Fuchs, Clinton Jacob (Louisiana)
Garcia, Colleen E. (Louisiana)
Garcia, Christopher Louis (Louisiana)
Garrison, Suzanne M. (Louisiana)
Garten, Danielle M (Louisiana)
Gaugush, Simon Alexander (Louisiana)
Gerace, Dominick S. (Louisiana)
Geraci, Justina Louise (Louisiana)
Gibbons, Theryn G. (Louisiana)
Gilchrist, Bayron T (Louisiana)
Gillis, James Philip (Louisiana)
Glober, Bonnie Ames (Louisiana)
Goldberg, Lauren R. (Louisiana)
Goldberg, Dale Ann (Louisiana)
Goldin, Nicholas Stoloff (Louisiana)
Goldschmidt, Iris (District of Columbia)
Goldsticker, Michael A (Louisiana)
Gordon, Michael S. (Louisiana)
GOVT, Catherine J. (Louisiana)
Granston, Michael D. (Louisiana)
Grau, Rossana Rolon (Louisiana)
Gray, Christopher D. (Louisiana)
Groom, Deborah Fennell (Louisiana)
Gunasekera, Eva U. (Louisiana)
Haanstad, Gregory J (Louisiana)
Hall, Jennifer Lynne (Louisiana)
Harden, Charles T. (Louisiana)
Harlow, Christopher Loren (Louisiana)
Hartman, Scott Andrew (Louisiana)
Hattan, Andrea Whittier (Louisiana)
Hernandez, Jason Peter (Louisiana)
Hooks, Jonathan P. (Louisiana)
Hottle, Douglas M. (Louisiana)
Houghton, Kristopher N (Louisiana)
Hudalla, John Andrew (Louisiana)
Hudson, Jennifer D.L. (Louisiana)
Hurst, Patricia L. (Louisiana)
Hurtado, Samuel A. (Louisiana)
Jackson, William Buchanan (Louisiana)
Jerrett, Michelle L. (Louisiana)
Jestin, Katya Townshend (Louisiana)
Jocher, John David (Louisiana)
Johnston, Thomas E. (Louisiana)
Jones, Mary Patricia (Louisiana)
JORDAN, JENNIFER B. (Louisiana)
Josephson, Matthew Allan (Louisiana)
Joyner, James Clayton (Louisiana)
Jr, Hector Federico (Louisiana)
Kamal, Jilan Janet (Louisiana)
Kaplan, Philip Sam (Louisiana)
Kasulis, Telemachus Philip (Louisiana)
Kelleher, James Joseph (Louisiana)
Kelley, Jeremy James (Louisiana)
Kelly, Jacqueline Christine (Louisiana)
Kenney, Christine E. (Louisiana)
Kent, Thomas Michael (Louisiana)
Klovers, Christelle (Louisiana)
Knishkowy, Jeffrey (Louisiana)
Kohnen, Ralph William (Louisiana)
Komatireddy, Saritha (Louisiana)
Korobov, Kristina M. (Louisiana)
Kromberg, Gordon D. (Louisiana)
Krouse, Michael Kim (Louisiana)
Kummerfeld, Nathaniel Christopher (Louisiana)
Lacosta, Anthony W. (Louisiana)
LA-CR, Assistant 2241-2255 (Louisiana)
Lamb, Andrew William (Louisiana)
Lammens, Philip R. (Louisiana)
Landreneau, Joseph P (Louisiana)
Larison, Josephine M (Louisiana)
Laroche, Matthew Joseph (Louisiana)
Lear, Kevin Michael (Louisiana)
Lewis, Katherine L (Louisiana)
Light, Sarah Elizabeth (Louisiana)
Litigation, Financial (Louisiana)
Lombardi, Vincent T (Louisiana)
Lopez, Jonathan Errol (Louisiana)
Lowry, Jeffrey Matthew (Louisiana)
Lukas-Jackson, Jennifer A (Louisiana)
Macchiaverna, Elizabeth L. (Louisiana)
MacDonald, Casey Nicole (Louisiana)
Maderal, Francisco Raul (Louisiana)
Maimin, Michael Douglas (Louisiana)
Manuelian, Christine (Louisiana)
Marando, Michael John (Louisiana)
Marangola, Melissa M. (Louisiana)
Marous, J. Michael (Louisiana)
Mars, Mitchell Allen (Louisiana)
Marshall, Laura Colombell (Louisiana)
Marshall, Franz (District of Columbia)
Martikan, Owen Peter (Louisiana)
Martinez, Hugo Ricardo (Louisiana)
Martini, Joseph W. (Louisiana)
Mastandrea-Miller, Angela (Louisiana)
McAlister, James Donald (Louisiana)
McBurney, Robert C. (Louisiana)
McCann, Douglas Edward (Louisiana)
Mccarthy, Shawn Daniel (Louisiana)
McCarthy, Emily H. (District of Columbia)
McCarthy, Brendan P. (Louisiana)
MCCARTNEY, MAUREEN (Louisiana)
McClellan, Jessica L. (Louisiana)
McCord, Stacey Elise (Louisiana)
McCormack, Michael T. (Louisiana)
McCormick, Douglas F (Louisiana)
McCree, Cameron Charles (Louisiana)
McEntire, Brian Glen (Louisiana)
McGinley, Ian Patrick (Louisiana)
McGorty, Glen Garrett (Louisiana)
McGull, Abram McGull (Louisiana)
McGurk, Kenneth Charles (Louisiana)
McIntyre, Daniel Robert (Louisiana)
McMahon, James Franklin (Louisiana)
McQuaid, Nicholas Lloyd (Louisiana)
Mebane, Terrance Anthony (Louisiana)
Mecklenburg, Sheri H. (Louisiana)
Mermelstein, Rebecca Gabrielle (Louisiana)
Metcalf, N. George (Louisiana)
Metcalfe, Robert D (Louisiana)
Middendorf, Jeffrey Thomas (Louisiana)
Miller, Stephen Wiley (Louisiana)
Miller, Ami Harshad (Louisiana)
MILLER, ANGELA HEWLETT (Louisiana)
Mitchell, John W. (District of Columbia)
Moe, Alison Gainfort (Louisiana)
Moffatt, Gregory T. (Louisiana)
Monroe, Richard E. (Louisiana)
Montero, Anthony R (Louisiana)
Morales, Nicholas James (Louisiana)
Moreno, Ignacia S. (Louisiana)
Moreno-Taxman, Karine (Louisiana)
Morgan, Shawn Angus (Louisiana)
Moses, Nicholas Dupuy (Louisiana)
Mosier, Richard D. (Louisiana)
Moss, Benjamin Mark (Louisiana)
Mudd, David Joseph (Louisiana)
Mullarkey, D. Patrick (Louisiana)
Namie, Myers Patrick (Louisiana)
Neff, Michael Daniel (Louisiana)
New, Jonathan Brian (Louisiana)
Nicholas, Max Clement (Louisiana)
Notopoulos, Patricia E (Louisiana)
Oakley, Donald Christopher (Louisiana)
Oberly, Charles M. (Louisiana)
O'Brien, Michele C. (Louisiana)
O'Callaghan, Edward Casey (Louisiana)
O'Connor, Madeline M. (Louisiana)
Office, US Attorney's (Louisiana)
Okula, Stanley John (Louisiana)
Olson, William Edward (Louisiana)
O'Malley, Kathleen A. (Louisiana)
O'MALLEY, V. GRADY (Louisiana)
Parente, Christopher Vincent (Louisiana)
Parker, Kenneth L. (Louisiana)
Parker, Charles William (Louisiana)
Parkinson, Brett R. (Louisiana)
Patrick, Michael Ryan (Louisiana)
Patton, Christian Todd (Louisiana)
Pettis, Yohance Asim (Louisiana)
Phillips, Dennis L (Louisiana)
Pico, Francis Leland (Louisiana)
Podolak, Stephanie (Louisiana)
Pomeroy, Richard L. (Louisiana)
Poswistilo, Susan M. (Louisiana)
Powell, Ryan Donald (Louisiana)
POZOS, CLARE PUTNAM (Louisiana)
Pravda, Douglas M. (Louisiana)
Preston, Jeffrey D. (Louisiana)
Protection, United States (Louisiana)
Queenin, Mackenzie A. (Louisiana)
Quigley, Brendan Francis (Louisiana)
Quinn, Thomas Anthony (Louisiana)
Ramsay, Richard J. (Louisiana)
Raskin, David Alan (Louisiana)
Redlinger, Julie Margaret (Louisiana)
Regalia, Nicholas J (Louisiana)
Richardson, Julius Ness (Louisiana)
Richardson, Ian Craig (Louisiana)
Richmond, Matthew V (Louisiana)
Richter, Zachary C. (Louisiana)
Riewerts, Alecia Lynne (Louisiana)
Ritchin, Stephen J (Louisiana)
Robinson, Richard E (Louisiana)
Rocque, Amanda Adams (Louisiana)
Rodriguez, Roberto H. (Louisiana)
Romano, Virginia Chavez (Louisiana)
Romano, John Alexander (Louisiana)
Rosato, Carrie Elizabeth (Louisiana)
Roth, Lori Silverstein (Louisiana)
Roth, Monique Perez (Louisiana)
Rumbaugh, Katherine Elise (Louisiana)
Russell, Tiana Leia (Louisiana)
Sacks, Marcus Scott (Louisiana)
Sampson, Dimitra Hotis (Louisiana)
Sanchez, Kevin Ruben (Louisiana)
Sanders, Deborah F (Louisiana)
Sansonetti, Thomas L (Louisiana)
Santos, Christopher Andrew (Louisiana)
Schattman-DOJ, Frederick Martin (Louisiana)
Scheff, Jason Mitchell (Louisiana)
Schwab, Alexander Baier (Louisiana)
Scotten, Hagan Cordell (Louisiana)
Searby, Bruce Hamilton (Louisiana)
Selwood, Patrick Garrett (Louisiana)
Services, Pretrial (Louisiana)
Shaheen, Edward L. (Louisiana)
Shelnutt, F. Gentry (Louisiana)
Shoemaker, Brenda S (Louisiana)
Skotko, Anna Margaret (Louisiana)
Smeltzer, Joshua D. (Louisiana)
Snyder, Michael Damien (Louisiana)
Soivilien, Nicholas A. (Louisiana)
Solomon, Alexander A. (Louisiana)
Solowiejczyk, Noah David (Louisiana)
SOLTIS, MARYTERESA (Louisiana)
Sonderby, Chistopher P. (Louisiana)
Stegeby, Erik Kenneth (Louisiana)
Stendig, Zachary B (Louisiana)
STEPHAN, SHERRI A. (Louisiana)
Stevenson, Marina Carin (Louisiana)
Stewart, George Robson (Louisiana)
Sturgis, James Henry (Louisiana)
Sutherland, James L. (Louisiana)
Svcs-CC, US Pretrial (Louisiana)
Sweeney, Benjamin R. (Louisiana)
Sweet, James Robert (Louisiana)
Thompson, James Patrick (Louisiana)
Thornhill, Jessica Marie (Louisiana)
Timmermann, Lilian (Louisiana)
Tracer, Daniel Marc (Louisiana)
TULANTE, SOZI PEDRO (Louisiana)
Turner, Serrin Andrew (Louisiana)
TURRINI, ELLIOT N. (Louisiana)
Udell, Jeffrey Adam (Louisiana)
use), MICHAEL BUCHANAN (Louisiana)
Vanaskie, Thomas K. (Louisiana)
Vanderhook, Katherine L (Louisiana)
Vargas-Vera, Rebecca (Louisiana)
Vartain, Richard G (Louisiana)
Vasquez, Timothy S. (Louisiana)
Velamoor, Niketh Varadaraj (Louisiana)
Vincent, Katherine (Louisiana)
Walther, Hank Bond (Louisiana)
Washington, Melvin K (Louisiana)
Wasserman, Steven B. (Louisiana)
Watson, Robert Thomas (Louisiana)
Weinfurt, Kenneth E. (Louisiana)
Welsh, Jennifer K. (Louisiana)
Williams, Billy J. (Louisiana)
Williams, Nathan Stuart (Louisiana)
Willing, Patricia A. (Louisiana)
Willing-FLU, Patricia A. (Louisiana)
Wissler, Sirena M. (Louisiana)
WOLFE, MAURO MICHAEL (Louisiana)
Wood, Rachael Lynne (Louisiana)
Woodliff, Steven Christopher (Louisiana)
Yuen, Tritia Lindsay (Louisiana)
Zager, Andrew Paul (Louisiana)
Zapata-Valladares, Teresa S. (Louisiana)
Zimmerman, Warren A. (Louisiana)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/5055292/u-s-a-v-morehouse-parish/
Last updated Feb. 26, 2024, 3:12 a.m.
State / Territory: Louisiana
Case Type(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: Feb. 10, 1969
Closing Date: March 4, 2013
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
United States Department of Justice
Plaintiff Type(s):
U.S. Dept of Justice plaintiff
Attorney Organizations:
U.S. Dept. of Justice Civil Rights Division
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Morehouse Parish School Board (Morehouse), School District
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Title VI, Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000d et seq.
Constitutional Clause(s):
Available Documents:
Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff
Nature of Relief:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree
Order Duration: 1969 - 2013
Content of Injunction:
Other requirements regarding hiring, promotion, retention
Implement complaint/dispute resolution process
Goals (e.g., for hiring, admissions)
Issues
General:
Staff (number, training, qualifications, wages)
Discrimination-area:
Discrimination-basis:
Race:
Type of Facility: