Letter from William Suter (Court Clerk) to Charles Ralston RE Rule 26.3

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA
RALEIGH DIVISION

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RALPH GINGLES, et dl.,

Pla'intiffs,

V.

RUFUS EDMISTEN, etc., et a1',
Defendants.

ALAN V. PUGH, et a] .,
Plajntiffs,

V.

JAMES B. HUNT, JR., etc., €t dl.,
Defendants.

JOHN J. CAVANAGH, et dl.,
P1 aintiffs,

V.

ALEX K, BR0CK, etc., €t al.
Defendants.

cIvrL N0.81-803-CIV-5

) cIVrL N0. 81-1066-CIV-5
)
)
)

CIVIL NO, 82-545.CIV-5

MOTION TO CONSOLIDATE

CoME NOtl the defendants in each of the above-entitled actions, and nrove 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 Civil Procedure.

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

1, Each of the above entitled act'ions challenges the apportjonment p'lans for

the House of Representatives and Senate of the North Carolina General Assembly,

although plaintiffs John J. Cavanagh, et a1., have challenged only those portions

of the plans insofar as they pertain to Forsyth County,

2. Each act'ion involves common questions of law and fact relating to the enact-

ment of redistricting p'lans for the North Carolina House and Senate in compliance

with the United States Const jtut'ion, the Voting R'ights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 51973)

and the North Caro'lina Const'itution. Relief, if any, granted to any of the plaintiffs

rel at'ing to legislat'ive apportionment must be consistent,

3. The defendants in each action are essentially the same, although p'laintiffs

John J, Cavanagh, et al., have named only the Execut'ive Director and members of

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

Gingles, et a1., and Alan V. Pugh, et al., have included as defendants additional

State officers acting in their official capacities.



4. The defendants' defenses to

rel ated.

5. Each action seeks to represent a class

and who seek' rel i ef rvh i ch may be j ncons'i stent '

No prejudice to any party wi'1.1 result from

Consolidat'ion w'i11 avoid multiplic'ity of suits,

thetical judgments, w'i'll save considerable time

and al1 parties, will expedite the presentat'ion

and w'il I be in the f urtherance of justice '

each action are the same orinseparably inter-

wtrich includes overlapping members

a consolidation of said actions.

w'i1l avo'id confl'icting or ant'i-

and expense for the court, counse'l ,

of evidence at trial Proceedings,

Ral ei gh , North Carol 'i na 27 602
Telephone: (919) 733-3377

Norma Harrel I
Ti are B. Smi 1ey
Assistant AttorneYs General

John Lass'iter
Associ ate AttorneY General

Jerri s Leonard
Kathleen Heenan
Jerris Leonard & Associates, P'C.
900 17th Street, N.W.
Su'ite 1020
Washington, D.C. 20006
Telephone z (202) 872-1095

Attorneys for Defendants

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

RUFUS L. EDMISTEN
ATTORNEY GENERAL

Attorney General
Legal Affairs

. Department of Justice
st Office Box 629

-2-



CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that I have this day served the foregoing Motion to Consolidate

upon plaintiffs, Attorneys by placing a copy of same in the United States Post

Office, postage prepaid, addressed to:

J, Levonne Chambers
Leslie tJinner
Chambers , Ferguson, l'latt, Wal 1 as,

Adkins & Fuller, P.A.
951 South IndePendence Boulevard
Charl otte, t'lorth Caro'l i na 28202

Jack Greenberg
James M. Nabrit, III
Lani Guinier
L0 Columbus C'ircle
New York, l{ew York 10019

Arthur J. Donaldson
Burke, Donaldson, Holshouser & Kenerly
309 North Ma'in Street
Sal 'i sbury, North Carol i na 28L44

Robert N. Hunter, Jr.
Attorney at Law
Post Office Box 3245
201 }Jest Market Street
Greensboro, t'lorth Carol 'ina 27 402

Hamilton C. Horton, Jr,
t,lh 'i t i ng , Horton and Hendr i c k
450 NCNB Pl aza
l{i nston-Sa'lem, llorth Carol i na 27L0t

Wayne T. E'l I i ot, Esq.
Southeastern Legal Foundation
1800 Century Boulevard, Suite 950

Ihis the /L day of

-3-



Ftfre at Frtth Outsli#
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RALEIGI{ 22CO2

Jack Greenberg
James M. Nabrit, III
Lani Guinier
10 Columbus Circle
New York, NY 10019