Filed Date: Nov. 5, 1966
Clearinghouse coding complete
In this case, a Black man charged with a crime in Montgomery County, Alabama, challenged the County's policy of systematically excluding Black people from jury service. On November 5, 1966, the plaintiff filed this lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, where it was assigned to then-District Judge Frank M. Johnson. Bringing suit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and the Declaratory Judgement Act (28 U.S.C. § 2201), the plaintiff claimed that the exclusion of Black people from criminal juries violated the Fourteenth Amendment.
Judge Johnson denied the plaintiff's request for a temporary restraining order on November 10, noting that the plaintiff had yet to be indicted, so no constitutional violation had yet occurred. 261 F. Supp. 591. However, he also set a preliminary injunction hearing for January of 1967. The status of the case after that date is unclear, but it is presumably now closed.
Summary Authors
Jonah Hudson-Erdman (11/18/2021)
Johnson, Frank Minis Jr. (Alabama)
Last updated May 1, 2024, 3:11 a.m.
Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.State / Territory: Alabama
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Civil Rights Division Archival Collection
Key Dates
Filing Date: Nov. 5, 1966
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
A Black criminal defendant in Montgomery County Alabama
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: Unknown
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Jury Commisioner (Montgomery, Montgomery), County
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Declaratory Judgment Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2201
Constitutional Clause(s):
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Unknown
Nature of Relief:
Source of Relief:
Content of Injunction:
Issues
General/Misc.:
Access to lawyers or judicial system
Discrimination Basis:
Affected Race(s):