Hutto v. Jones Respondents' Brief in Opposition
Public Court Documents
September 1, 1985
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Brief Collection, LDF Court Filings. Hutto v. Jones Respondents' Brief in Opposition, 1985. b302eca9-b89a-ee11-be36-6045bdeb8873. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/1ed66786-2903-45ea-9941-5f89e6a51b96/hutto-v-jones-respondents-brief-in-opposition. Accessed April 28, 2025.
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No. 85-278
I n the
(Hmtrt of tip TUnxttb i>latzb
October Teem, 1985
Terrell D on H utto, et al.,
Petitioners,
vs.
J ohnny J ones and H uey Davis, III, et al.,
Respondents.
ON PETITION FOB A WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES
COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT
RESPONDENTS’ BRIEF IN OPPOSITION
J ulius L eV onne Chambers
R onald L. E llis*
D eborah F ins
99 Hudson Street
16th. Floor
New York, New York 10013
(212) 219-1900
E ugene H unt
520 West Second Avenue
Pine Bluff, Arkansas 71601
(501) 534-4460
Attorneys for Respondents
^Counsel of Record
TABLE OF CONTENTS
P a g e
TABLE OF AUTHORITIES ..................... .. i i
STATEMENT OF THE CASE ...................... 1
REASONS FOR DENYING THE WRIT _______ 5
I . THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT PROPERLY
AFFIRMED THE FINDING OF
UNLAWFUL DISCRIMINATION
AGAINST THE CLASS ......................... 6
I I . THE CLASS WAS PROPERLY
CERTIFIED IN THIS CASE ................... 9
CONCLUSION .......................................................... 14
l -
TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
C a s e s Page
A n d e r s o n v . C i t y o f B e s s e m e r
C i t y , 105 S . C t . 1504
( 1985) ....................................................... 5 , 7
G e n e r a l T e l e p h o n e Co. o f t h e
S o u t h w e s t v . F a l c o n , 457
U . S . 147 ( 1982) .......................... 10, 1 1
I n t e r n a t i o n a l B r o t h e r h o o d o f
T e a m s t e r s v . U n i t e d S t a t e s ,
431 U . S . 324 ( 1977) ..................... 9
P u l l m a n - S t a n d a r d v . S w i n t , 456
U . S . 273 ( 1982) ................................ 5
R u l e s
F e d . R. C i v . P. 2 3 ........ ........................... 2 , 11
No. 85-278
I n t h e
SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
O c t o b e r Te rm, 1985
TERRELL DON HUTTO, e t a l . ,
P e t i t i o n e r s ,
v s .
JOHNNY JONES and HUEY DAVIS, I I I ,
e t a l . ,
R e s p o n d e n t s .
On P e t i t i o n f o r a W r i t o f C e r t i o r a r i t o
t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s C o u r t o f A p p e a l s f o r
The E i g h t h C i r c u i t
s sz s rs ts =s=r = ssss =sss=sts sr ssss =sss=sssss=s=sssss5sss=sss ss=s = =s =s=s ss ssjss
RESPONDENTS' BRIEF IN OPPOSITION
S t a t e m e n t o f t h e Cas e
T h i s c a s e c o n c e r n s a n a p p e l l a t e
c o u r t ' s p r o p e r a p p l i c a t i o n o f i t s r e v i e w
p o w e r s t o a f f i r m d e t a i l e d f i n d i n g s o f f a c t
b y a d i s t r i c t c o u r t .
2
I n 1 974 , R e s p o n d e n t s J o h n n y J o n e s and
Huey D a v i s , I I I , f i l e d a c l a s s a c t i o n
l a w s u i t a g a i n s t t h e A r k a n s a s D e p a r t m e n t o f
C o r r e c t i o n s and c e r t a i n named i n d i v i d u a l s
w i t h i n t h e d e p a r t m e n t . The c a s e was
b r o u g h t p u r s u a n t t o 42 U . S . C . §§ 1981 and
1983 and 42 U . S . C . §§ 2000e e t s e q . ( T i t l e
V I I o f t h e C i v i l R i g h t s A c t o f 1964) and
a l l e g e d t h a t t h e d e f e n d a n t s h ad d i s c r i
m i n a t e d a g a i n s t R e s p o n d e n t s and t h e c l a s s
t h e y s o u g h t t o r e p r e s e n t w i t h r e s p e c t t o
h i r i n g , t r a i n i n g , p r o m o t i o n , a s s i g n m e n t
a n d o t h e r t e r m s and c o n d i t i o n s o f e m p l o y
m e n t . F o l l o w i n g two y e a r s o f d i s c o v e r y ,
w h i c h i n c l u d e d t h r e e s e t s o f i n t e r r o g a
t o r i e s and o n e r e q u e s t f o r a d m i s s i o n s , t h e
R e s p o n d e n t s J o n e s and D a v i s moved t h e
d i s t r i c t c o u r t t o c e r t i f y t h e c a s e a s a
c l a s s a c t i o n p u r s u a n t t o R u l e 2 3 ( b ) ( 2 ) ,
F e d . R. C i v . P . The d i s t r i c t c o u r t
c o n d i t i o n a l l y c e r t i f i e d a c l a s s by O r d e r
3
d a t e d S e p t e m b e r 2 7 , 1976 . The p a r t i e s
e n g a g e d i n f u r t h e r d i s c o v e r y o v e r t h e n e x t
f i v e a n d o n e - h a l f y e a r s and t h e d i s t r i c t
c o u r t was a b l e t o f u r t h e r d e f i n e t h e c l a s s
b y O r d e r d a t e d J a n u a r y 18, 1 9 8 2 . A t t h e
t i m e o f t h e J a n u a r y , 1982 O r d e r , t h e
r e c o r d p r o d u c e d by t h e R e s p o n d e n t s b e f o r e
t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t c o n s i s t e d o f s i x s e t s
o f i n t e r r o g a t o r i e s ( p r o p o u n d e d and
a n s w e r e d ) , t h r e e s e t s o f a d m i s s i o n s and
1
n i n e d e p o s i t i o n s . A f t e r m o d i f y i n g t h e
c l a s s d e s i g n a t i o n o n March 2 2 , 1982 , t o
d e f i n e t h e e n d i n g d a t e f o r i n c l u s i o n i n
t h e c l a s s a s t h e d a t e o f j u d g m e n t , t h e
c o u r t a s k e d t h e p a r t i e s t o p r o c e e d t o
t r i a l .
I n a d d i t i o n , e m p l o y me n t p r a c t i c e s had b e e n
e x a m i n e d i n a s e r i e s o f c a s e s i n v o l v i n g
r a c i a l d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n p r i s o n c o n d i
t i o n s . S ee A p p e n d i x B a t B - 1 , B-8 t o
B-1 5.
4
The c a s e was t r i e d b e f o r e t h e c o u r t
f o r f i f t e e n (15) d a y s b e t w e e n March 29 ,
1 98 2 a n d A p r i l 2 8 , 1982 . A p p r o x i m a t e l y
s i x t y w i t n e s s e s w e r e c a l l e d and more t h a n
400 e x h i b i t s a d m i t t e d i n t o e v i d e n c e . A f t e r
r e v i e w i n g a l m o s t 4000 p a g e s o f t r a n s c r i p t
a n d m o r e t h a n 1000 p a g e s o f d e p o s i t i o n s ,
t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t " i s s u e d a c o g e n t
o p i n i o n w h i c h c o p i o u s l y a n a l y z e d t h e
a b u n d a n t e v i d e n c e p r e s e n t e d i n t h i s c a s e . "
A p p e n d i x A a t A - 3 . The c o u r t f o u n d t h a t
t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f C o r r e c t i o n s h a d d i s c r i
m i n a t e d a g a i n s t t h e c l a s s o f b l a c k
e m p l o y e e s i n p r o m o t i o n s , a s s i g n m e n t s and
o t h e r t e r m s a n d c o n d i t i o n s o f e m p l o y m e n t
b u t h e l d t h e r e was no d i s c r i m i n a t i o n w i t h
r e s p e c t t o h i r i n g .
On a p p e a l , t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f C o r r e c
t i o n s c h a l l e n g e d t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t ' s
f i n d i n g s o f d i s c r i m i n a t i o n and s u g g e s t e d
t h a t t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t h ad i n s u f f i c i e n t
5
e v i d e n c e o n w h i c h t o c e r t i f y t h e c l a s s a s
d e f i n e d . T h e E i g h t h C i r c u i t a f f i r m e d t h e
f i n d i n g s o f d i s c r i m i n a t i o n , h o l d i n g t h a t
M [ t ] h e r e [was] s u b s t a n t i a l e v i d e n c e i n t h e
r e c o r d t o s u p p o r t t h e c o u r t ' s f a c t u a l
d e t e r m i n a t i o n s w h i c h f o r m e d t h e b a s i s f o r
t h e f i n d i n g o f l i a b i l i t y . " A p p e n d i x A a t
A - 5 . The C o u r t a l s o r e j e c t e d t h e D e p a r t
m e n t ' s c o n t e n t i o n w i t h r e s p e c t t o c l a s s
c e r t i f i c a t i o n , h o l d i n g t h a t t h e r e was no
n e e d t o h o l d a n e v i d e n t i a r y h e a r i n g .
A p p e n d i x A a t A - 4 .
R e a s o n s f o r D e n y i ng The W r i t
The q u e s t i o n s p r e s e n t e d c h a l l e n g e t h e
E i g h t h C i r c u i t ' s p r o p e r e x e r c i s e o f i t s
a p p e l l a t e j u r i s d i c t i o n , g i v i n g d ue r e g a r d
t o t h e f i n d i n g s o f f a c t o f t h e t r i a l
c o u r t . A n d e r s o n v . C i t y o f B e s s e m e r C i t y ,
105 S . C t . 1504 ( 1 9 8 5 ) ; P u l l m a n - S t a n d a r d v .
Swi n t , 4 56 U . S . 2 7 3 ( 1 9 8 2 ) . The p e t i t i o n
s h o u l d b e d e n i e d b e c a u s e i t p r e s e n t s no
6
c o n f l i c t o f d e c i s i o n s among t h e c i r c u i t s ,
b e c a u s e i t p r e s e n t s no c o n f l i c t w i t h t h e
d e c i s i o n s o f t h i s C o u r t , a nd b e c a u s e i t
p r e s e n t s no i m p o r t a n t i s s u e s t h a t n e e d t o
be r e s o l v e d by t h i s C o u r t .
ARGUMENT
I . THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT PROPERLY
AFFIRMED THE FINDING OF UNLAWFUL
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THE CLASS.
T h e e n t i r e b a s i s o f t h e P e t i t i o n e r s
c h a l l e n g e h e r e i n a p p e a r s t o be t h a t
a l t h o u g h ( 1 ) t h e R e s p o n d e n t s p r e s e n t e d
a l l e g a t i o n s and t e s t i m o n y c o n c e r n i n g
i n t e n t i o n a l a c t s o f d i s c r i m i n a t i o n and (2)
t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t made " n u m e r o u s f i n
d i n g s " o f p u r p o s e f u l d i s c r i m i n a t i o n , t h e
d i s t r i c t c o u r t i m p r o p e r l y u s e d t h e t e r m
d i s p a r a t e " i m p a c t " . Thus t h e P e t i t i o n e r s
d o n o t c h a l l e n g e t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t ' s
f i n d i n g s o f f a c t o f i n t e n t i o n a l d i s c r i m i -
7
n a t i o n , b u t m e r e l y c l a i m t h a t t h e
d i s t r i c t c o u r t f a i l e d t o c h a r a c t e r i z e i t
c o r r e c t l y . I n e f f e c t , t h e P e t i t i o n e r s
w i s h t o s e c u r e c e r t i o r a r i s o t h a t t h e
2
d i s t r i c t c o u r t would be c o m p e l l e d
c h a n g e t h e word " i m p a c t " t o " t r e a t m e n t
As t h e E i g h t h C i r c u i t h e l d , " t h e e v i d e n c e
s u f f i c i e n t l y s u p p o r t e d b o t h [ t r e a t m e n t and
i m p a c t ] t h e o r i e s o f l i a b i l i t y i n t h i s
c a s e . " A p p e n d i x A a t A - 7 . T h r o u g h o u t
t h e i r E i g h t h C i r c u i t b r i e f , t h e P e t i -
The P e t i t i o n e r s h ad o r i g i n a l l y c h a l l e n g e d
t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t ' s f i n d i n g s a s c l e a r l y
e r r o n e o u s , b u t c o n c e d e d a t o r a l a r g u m e n t
t h a t , g i v e n t h e r e c o r d o f d i s c r i m i n a t o r y
p r a c t i c e s h e r e i n , i t was a d i f f i c u l t
p o s i t i o n t o m a i n t a i n u n d e r A n d e r s o n v .
C i t y o f B e s s e m e r C i t y , 105 _S . C t . T 554
(1985) . They h a v e a b a n d o n e d t h e a s s e r t i o n
b e f o r e t h i s C o u r t .
B e f o r e t h e E i g h t h C i r c u i t , t h e P e t i
t i o n e r s c o n c e d e d t h a t t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t
had made n u m e r ou s f i n d i n g s o f c l a s s w i d e
d i s p a r a t e t r e a t m e n t , b u t s o u g h t a r emand
so t h a t t h e D e p a r t m e n t ' s p r a c t i c e s c o u l d
be e v a l u a t e d u n d e r a d i s p a r a t e t r e a t m e n t
a n a l y s i s .
tioners a t t e m p t e d t o d e m o n s t r a t e t h e
d i s t r i c t c o u r t ' s e r r o r by p o i n t i n g o u t
t h a t t h e R e s p o n d e n t s p r o d u c e d s u b s t a n t i a l
e v i d e n c e and t e s t i m o n y o f d i s p a r a t e
t r e a t m e n t , n o t i m p a c t . The P e t i t i o n e r s
a c k n o w l e d g e , f o r e x a m p l e , t h a t t h e r e was
s u b s t a n t i a l t e s t i m o n y c o n c e r n i n g t h e
" a s s i g n m e n t o f b l a c k s t o l e a s t d e s i r a b l e
j o b s ; m i s t r e a t m e n t and v e r b a l a b u s e by
w h i t e s u p e r v i s o r s ; a r b i t r a r y t e r m i n a t i o n s
o f b l a c k s f o r r e a s o n s f o r w h i c h w h i t e s a r e
n o t t e r m i n a t e d ; s u b m i s s i o n o f o n l y w h i t e
a p p l i c a n t s t o QRC and L e g i s l a t i v e C o u n s e l ;
s u b j e c t i v e d e n i a l s o f p r o m o t i o n s d u e t o
f a v o r i t i s m t o w a r d w h i t e a p p l i c a n t s ; and a
m u l t i t u d e o f o t h e r i n t e n t i o n a l a c t s o f
d i s c r i m i n a t i o n . " A p p e n d i x A a t A - 7 ,
c i t i n g A p p e l l a n t s ' B r i e f a t 10 ( e m p h a s i s
a d d e d by E i g h t h C i r c u i t ) .
9
W h e t h e r t h e f i n d i n g s o f i n t e n t i o n a l
d i s c r i m i n a t i o n a r e p l a c e d i n a n " e x c e s s i v e
s u b j e c t i v i t y " i m p a c t m o de l o r a " d i s p a r a t e
t r e a t m e n t " m o d e l , t h e o n e u n a l t e r a b l e f a c t
i s t h a t t h e D e p a r t m e n t h a d a p a t t e r n o f
t r e a t i n g m e m b e r s o f t h e c l a s s d i f f e r e n t l y
b e c a u s e o f t h e i r r a c e . As t h i s C o u r t h e l d
i n I n t e r n a t i o n a l B r o t h e r h o o d o f T e a m s t e r s
v . U n i t e d S t a t e s ? 431 U . S . 3 2 4 , 335 n . 15,
" [ e ] i t h e r t h e o r y may o f c o u r s e , be a p p l i e d
t o a p a r t i c u l a r s e t o f f a c t s . " The
d i s t r i c t c o u r t and t h e E i g h t h C i r c u i t
p r o p e r l y a p p l i e d t h i s p r i n c i p l e . See
e.g., A p p e n d i x A a t A - 7 .
I I . THE CLASS WAS PROPERLY CERTIFIED
IN THIS CASE
D u r i n g t h e c o u r s e o f t h e l i t i g a t i o n
t h e P e t i t i o n e r s h a v e s o u g h t t o make a
m a j o r i s s u e o u t o f t h e f a c t t h a t t h e
d i s t r i c t c o u r t d i d n o t h o l d a n e v i d e n t i a r y
10
h e a r i n g o n t h e c l a s s a c t i o n i s s u e . The
d i s t r i c t c o u r t d i d n o t c r e d i t t h i s
p o s i t i o n a nd n e i t h e r d i d t h e c o u r t o f
a p p e a l s . A p p e n d i x A a t A - 4 . I n a n
a t t e m p t t o c r e a t e t h i s i l l u s o r y i s s u e , t h e
P e t i t i o n e r s h a v e c o m p l e t e l y i g n o r e d a l l
t h e d i s c o v e r y a d d u c e d by t h e p a r t i e s and
a v a i l a b l e t o t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t i n
d e c i d i n g o n t h e a p p r o p r i a t e n e s s o f a
c l a s s . I n G e n e r a l T e l e p h o n e Co. o f t h e
S o u t h w e s t v . F a l c o n , 457 U . S . 147 , 160
( 1 9 8 2 ) , t h i s C o u r t n o t e d t h a t " [ s ] o m e t i m e s
t h e i s s u e s a r e p l a i n e n o u g h f r o m t h e
p l e a d i n g s t o d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r t h e
i n t e r e s t s o f t h e a b s e n t p a r t i e s a r e f a i r l y
e n c o m p a s s e d w i t h i n t h e named p l a i n t i f f ' s
c l a i m . " He re t h e p l a i n t i f f s w e n t s u b s t a n
t i a l l y b e y o n d t h e p l e a d i n g s and s u p p l e
m e n t e d t h e r e c o r d w i t h e x t e n s i v e d i s
c o v e r y . T h r o u g h t h e d i s c o v e r y p r o c e s s , t h e
l e a r n e d , i n t e r a l i a , t h a t (1)c o u r t
v a c a n c i e s w e r e f i l l e d by p r o m o t i o n f r om
w i t h i n , ( 2 ) t h e D e p a r t m e n t p r o v i d e d
o n - t h e - j o b t r a i n i n g f o r e m p l o y e e s , (3 ) t h e
s a m e i n d i v i d u a l s c o n t r o l l e d t h e h i r i n g ,
p r o m o t i o n , a s s i g n m e n t and d i s c i p l i n e
p r a c t i c e s w i t h i n t h e D e p a r t m e n t and (4)
b l a c k e m p l o y e e s w e r e c o n c e n t r a t e d i n l o w e r
l e v e l p o s i t i o n s . T h e r e was a m p l e e v i d e n c e
t o s a t i s f y t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s o f R u l e 23 .
The P e t i t i o n e r s a s s e r t t h a t common
a l i t y a n d t y p i c a l i t y a r e l a c k i n g b e c a u s e
" t h e o t h e r w i t n e s s [ s i c ] a d v a n c e d a w i d e
r a n g e o f c o m p l a i n t s c o v e r i n g v i r t u a l l y
e v e r y a s p e c t o f t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f C o r r e c
t i o n . " P e t i t i o n a t 8 . T h i s , h o w e v e r ,
s u p p o r t s t h e m a i n t e n a n c e o f a c l a s s a c t i o n
b e c a u s e t h e c o m p l a i n t s h ad a common
e l e m e n t — t h e s u b j e c t i v e d e c i s i o n m a k i n g
p r o c e s s w i t h i n t h e D e p a r t m e n t . As t h i s
C o u r t h e l d i n G e n e r a l T e l e p h o n e Co. o f t h e
S o u t h w e s t v . F a l c o n , s u p r a , 159 n . 15, t h e
12
c o m m o n a l i t y and t y p i c a l i t y r e q u i r e m e n t s o f
R u l e 2 3 ( a ) may b e s a t i s f i e d i f t h e r e i s
" [ s ] i g n i f i c a n t p r o o f t h a t a n e m p l o y e r
o p e r a t e d u n d e r a g e n e r a l p o l i c y o f
d i s c r i m i n a t i o n " a nd " t h e d i s c r i m i n a t i o n
m a n i f e s t e d i t s e l f . . . i n t h e same g e n e r a l
f a s h i o n , s u c h a s t h r o u g h e n t i r e l y s u b j e c
t i v e d e c i s i o n m a k i n g p r o c e s s e s . " The
d i s t r i c t c o u r t f o u n d , and t h e P e t i t i o n e r s
d o n o t d i s p u t e , t h a t " t h e ' s u b j e c t i v i t y '
o f t h e w a r d e n s and o t h e r s who c o n t r o l l e d
t h e p r o m o t i o n p r o c e s s " was t h e p r a c t i c e
a n d p o l i c y w h i c h d i s a d v a n t a g e d c l a s s
m e m b e r s . P e t i t i o n a t 11 . T h i s i s a
p a r t i c u l a r l y a p p r o p r i a t e s i t u a t i o n i n
w h i c h t o u s e t h e c l a s s a c t i o n p r o v i s i o n s .
T h e common i s s u e c o n c e r n s t h e d e f e n d a n t s '
p r a c t i c e o f u t i l i z i n g t h i s s u b j e c t i v e
p r o c e s s t o f a v o r w h i t e s o v e r b l a c k s .
13
The d i s t r i c t
d e t e r m i n e t h a t t h e
c l a s s w e r e s i m i l a r l y
s u b j e c t i v e p r o c e s s
o v e r , t h e t e s t i m o n y
t r i a l d e m o n s t r a t e d
c l a i m s w e r e t y p i c a l
4
c o u r t was a b l e t o
p l a i n t i f f s and t h e
d i s a d v a n t a g e d by t h i s
i n p r o m o t i o n s . M o r e -
and o t h e r e v i d e n c e a t
t h a t t h e p l a i n t i f f s '
o f o t h e r c l a s s
m e m b e r s .
For example , t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t f o u n d t h a t
b l a c k s as a c l a s s h ad t o be o v e r q u a l i f i e d
a n d t h a t " [ w j h i t e s [were ] r o u t i n e l y
p r o m o t e d w i t h o u t t h e s t a t e d q u a l i f i c a
t i o n s and . . . a l l o w e d e x t e n s i v e p e r i o d s o f
o n - t h e - j o b t r a i n i n g . " A p p e n d i x B a t B - l 6.
P l a i n t i f f J o n e s was a v i c t i m o f t h i s and
o t h e r common p r a c t i c e o f t h e d e f e n d a n t s .
S e e A p p e n d i x B a t B - 2 9 .
14
CONCLUSION
F o r t h e f o r e g o i n g r e a s o n s ,
t i o n f o r w r i t o f c e r t i o r a r i
d e n i e d .
t h e p e t i -
s h o u l d be
R e s p e c t f u l l y s u b m i t t e d ,
JULIUS LeVONNE CHAMBERS
RONALD L. ELLIS*
DEBORAH FINS
99 Hudson S t r e e t
1 6 t h F l o o r
New Y o r k , New York 10013
( 2 1 2 ) 2 1 9 - 1 9 0 0
EUGENE HUNT
520 Wes t S e c o n d Avenue
P i n e B l u f f , A r k a n s a s 71601
( 5 0 1 ) 5 3 4 - 4 4 6 0
ATTORNEYS FOR RESPONDENT
* C o u n s e l o f R e c o r d
S e p t e m b e r , 1985
Hamilton Graphics, Inc.— 200 Hudson Street, New York, N.Y.— (212) 966-4177