Correspondence from Winner to Guinier, Suitts, Klein, and Williams; Motion to Consolidate; Response of Gingles' Plaintiffs to Motion to Consolidate

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JULIUS LEVONNE CHAMBERS

JAMES E, FERGUSON, II

MELVIN L. WATT

JONATHAN WALLAS

KARL AOKINS

JAMES C, FULLER. JR.

YVONNE MIMS EVANS

JOHN W, GRESHAM

RONALO L. GIBSON

GILDA F, GLAZER

LESLIE J. WINNER

JOHN T. NOCKLEBY'

. OF O, C. BAR ONLY

CHAMBERS. FERGUSON, WATT, WALLAS, ADKINS & FULLER, P.A
ATTORNEYS AT LAW

SUITE 73O EAST INOEPENOENCE PLAZA

951 SOUTH INDEPENDENCE BOULEVARD

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA 24202
TELEPHONE (704) 375-445r

June 3, 1982

Ms. Lani Guinier
NAACP Legal Defense Fund
Suite 2030
10 Columbus Circle
New York, New York 10019

Mr. Steve Suitts
Southern Regional Council
75 Marietta Street NW
Atlanta, Georgia 30303

Mr. Richard Klein
Legal Services of North

Carolina
Post Office Box 6505
Raleigh, North Carolina 27628

Mr. Napoleon Williams
Legal Defense Fund
Suite 2030
10 Columbus Circle
New York, New York 10019

Re: Gingles v. Edmisten

Dear Folks:

Enclosed is a copy of a Motion to Consolidate and our response
to it. After my discussion with Chambers, w€ agreed that we
need to be kept informed of the proceedings in Cavanagh v. Brock
since if the Cavanagh plaintiffs win, we will automaticaffy-
1ose. The Cavanagh plaintiffs seek a declaration that counties
that are not SecLion 5 counties may not be divided. Chambers
also suggests that we may want to intervene as defendants in
Cavanagh v. Brock whether or not the actions are consolidated.
@ thoughts about that, pLease let me know.

Thank you.

LJW: ddb
Enclosures

Winner



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[tAY t o p,t

, mmf;ffiS. IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT CSURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA
RALEIGH DIVISION

FtrLED
tvt1lp ruae

RALPH GINGLES, et dl.,
Pl aj nt i ffs,

V.

RUFUS EDMISTEN, etc., et a'l .,
Defend ants .

ALAN V. PUGH, et a'l .,
Plajntiffs,

V.

JAMES B, HUNT, JR., etc', et dl.,
Defendants.

J0HN J. CAVANAGH, et a1.,
Plaint'iffs,

V.

ALEX K. BROCK, etc., et al. i

Defendants.

) .1. RrcH .ro^o*il..**) u. s. DrsTRrcr counf..
)
) clvlL N0. 81-803-CIV-f' Dlsr' No' cAR'-
)
)
)

CIVIL NO. 81-1066.CIV-5

CIVIL NO.82.545.CIV-5

MOTION TO CONSOLIDATE

C0ME NOI^I the defendant.s jn each of the above-entitled actions, and move the

court to order a complete consolidation of the above-entitled actions, for all

purposes, pursuant to Rule 42(a) of the Federal Rules of Civ'il Procedure.

In support of the mot'ion, and as grounds therefor, defendants state:

1. Each of the above entitled act jons chal lenges the apport'ionment p'lans for

the House of Representatjves and Senate of the North Caroljna General Assembly,

although p1a'intiffs John J. Cavanagh, et dl., have challenged only those portions

of the plans insofar as they pertain to Forsyth County,

Z. Each actjon involves common questions of law and fact relating to.the enact-

ment of redistrict'ing plans for the North Carolina House and Senate in compliance

with the United States Constitution, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 51973)

and the North Carolina Constitut'ion. Ref ief , if any, granted to any of the plaint'iffs

relating to 'legislative apportionment must be consistent.

1. The defendants in each action are essent'ial ly the same, a'lthough pl aint'iff s

John J. Cavanagh, et al., have named only the Executive Director and members of

the North Carolina State Board of Elections as defendants, wtrjle plaintiffs Ralph

G1ng1es, et dl ., and Alan V. Pugh, et dl ., have inc'luded as defendants additional

State off jcers act'ing 'in their off ici al capacities.



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4. The defendants'defenses to each action are the same or inseparably inter-

C

rel ated.

5. Each action seeks to represent a class

and who seek'relief which may be inconsistent'

No preiudice to any party wil.l result from

Conso'lidation will .avoid mult'ip1ic'ity of suits,

thetical judgments, will save considerable time

and al 1 part i es , w'i I I exped i te the present at'ion

and will be in the furtherance of just'ice'

wtr jch inc'l udes overl app'ing members

a consolidation of said actions.

w'i I I avo'id conf I i ct i ng or ant'i -

and expense for the court, counsel,

of ev i'dence at tr i a} ' proceed i ng s ,

Respectfully submitted, this the /) day of May, 1982'

RUFUS L. EDMISTEN
ATTORNEY GENERAL

Raleigh, North Carolina 27602
Telephone: (919) 733-3377

Norma Harrel I
Ti are B. Srn'i 1eY
Assistant AttorneYs General

John L as s'i ter
Associ ate AttorneY General

Jerri s Leonard
Kathleen Heenan *
Jerris Leonard & Assoc'iates, P.C.
900 17th Street, N'W,
Su'ite 1020
Washington, D.C. 20006
Telephone z (?0?) 872-1095

Attorneys for Defendants

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allage' rJf .
Attorney General

Post Office Box 629

ry' Leqal Af f ai rs
1 Oeiartment of Just'ice



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I

CERTiFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby cert'ify that I have this day served the foregoing Motion to

upon pla.intiffs, Attorneys by placing a copy of same in the United States

Office, postage prepa'id, addressed to:

J. Levonne Chambers
Leslie l'linner
Chambers, Ferguson, Watt, Hallas,

Adk'ins & Ful1er, P.A.
951. South Independence Boulevard
Charlotte, North Carol'ina ?8?02

Jack Greenberg
James M. Nabrit, III
Lani Gu'inier
10 Col umbus C'ircle
New York, New York 100i9

./
Arthur J. Donaldson
Burke, Donaldson, l-lolshouser & Kenerly
309 North Mai n Street
Sal i sburY, North Carol'ina 28t44

:

Robert N. Hunter, Jr. /
AttorneY at Law
Post 0ffice Box 3245
201 West Market Street
Greensboro, North Caroljna 2740?.

Ham'i I ton C. Horton , Jr .

Whiting, Horton and Hendrick
450 NCNB Pl aza
Hinston-Sa1em, North Carolina 27L01

Wayne T. El I 'iot , Esq
Southeastern Legal Foundat'ion
1800 CenturY Boulevard, Sujte 950
At1 anta, Georgi a 30345

This the /L day of

Consolidate

Post

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L-.

IN THE I]NITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA

MLEIGH DIVISION

RALPH GINGLES, et a1., )
Plaintiffs, )

)
v. ) Civil Action No. 81-803-Civ-5

)
RUFUS EDMISTEN, ete., et al., )

Defendants. )
)

ALLAN V. PUGH, €t a1., )
Plaintiffs, )

J ciril Action No. 81-1066-civ-5v. )
)

JAMES B. HUNT, JR., etc, et al., )
Defendants. )

)
JOHN J. CAVANAGH, €L a1., )

Plaintiffs, )
)

v. ) Civil Action No. 82-545-Civ-5
)

ALEX K. BROCK, etc., et at., )
Defendants. )

RESPONSE OF GINGLES' PLAINTIFFS
TO MOTION TO CONSOL]DATE

Plaintiffs in Gingles v. Edmisten, 8l-803-Civ-5 do not

oppose defendants' Motion to Consolidate the three actions

captioned above. Plaintiffs, however, request that any order

of consolidation contain provisions which will avoid delay of

the trial in Gingles v. Edmisten due to the consolidation. In

support of this requesL, the Gingles' plaintiffs show the Court

the following:
1. Gingles v. Edmisten was filed in September, 1981,

approximately seven months prior to the filing of Cavanagh v.

Brock.

2. The Court has requested that the parties to Gingles v.

Edmisted and Pugh v. Hunt agree on a discovery deadline for those

two actions.

3. The time required to complete discovery in Gingles v.

Edmisten and Pugh v. Hunt is shorter than the normal amount of

discovery which would be allowed for a newly filed action.



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This day of June, L982.

Chambers, Ferguson, trIatt, Wallas ,
Adkins & Fuller, P.A.

Suite 730 East Independence PLaza
951 South lndependence Soulevard
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
704 / 37 s-846L

JACK GREENBERG
NAPOLEON I^IILLIAMS
LANI GUIN]ER
NAACP Legal Defense Fund
10 Columbus Circle
Suite 2030
New York, New York 10019

Attorneys for Plaintiffs

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that I have this day served the fore-
going Response of Gingles' Plaintiffs to Motion to Consolidate

upon aL1 other counsel by placing a copy of same in the United

States Post Office, postage prepaid, addressed to:
Mr. James Wallace, Jr.
N.C. Department of Justice
Post Office Box 629
Raleigh, North Carol-ina 27602

Mr. Jerris Leonard
Jerris Leonard & Assoc., P.C.
900 17th Street, NW
suite 1020
Washington, DC 20006

Mr. Wayne T. Elliot
Southeastern Legal Foundation
1800 Century Boulevard, Suite 950
Atlanta, Georgia 30345

Mr. Arthur J. Donaldson
Burke, Donaldson, Holshouser

& Kenerly
309 North Main Street
Salisbury, North Carolina 28L44

Mr. Hamilton C. Horton, Jr.
I,lhiting, Horton & Hendrick
450 NCNB Plaza
I^/inston-Sal-em, North Carolina 27LjL

This the .V day of June , 1982.

LESLIE J. V,IINNER

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