Correspondence from Blacksher to Judge Pittman

Public Court Documents
October 25, 1982

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Correspondence from Blacksher to Judge Pittman preview

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  • Case Files, Bolden v. Mobile Hardbacks and Appendices. Correspondence from Blacksher to Judge Pittman, 1982. 20dab1dd-cdcd-ef11-b8e8-7c1e520b5bae. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/83228b5b-9201-4f90-acb3-428b7afbb820/correspondence-from-blacksher-to-judge-pittman. Accessed May 15, 2025.

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BLACKSHER, MENEFEE & STEIN, PLA. 

ATTORNEYS AT LAW 

  

405 VAN ANTWERP BUILDING 

P. 0. BOX 1051 

MOBILE, ALABAMA 36633 

JAMES U. BLACKSHER October 25, 1982 TELEPHONE 

LARRY T. MENEFEE (205) 433-2000 
GREGORY 8. STEIN 

  

Honorable Virgil Pittman 
Senior Judge 
United States District Court 
P. DO. Box 465 
Mobile, Alabama 36652 

RE: Wiley L. Bolden, et al. v. City of Mobile, Alabama, 
et al.; Civil Action No. 75-297-P 

a TR ——   

Dear Judge Pittman: 

Enclosed is a copy of a motion we have filed this date in the 
subject action. This motion is in response to the matters 
discussed with you by myself and Mr. Stout on Monday, October 
18. 

As 1 indicated to Your Honor in our conference, and as we have 
spelled out in the enclosed motion, our concern is that there be 
sufficient time for appellate review of your decision about 
whether or not to hold interim elections in 1983. Practical 
experience in this and other election cases has taught us that, 
if you refuse to order interim elections or if you stay interim 
elections for 1983, with the time now left to us for appellate 
review, the opportunity for elections at that time may well be 
Tost by default. We do not wish to take an appeal from the 
Court's refusal to rule. So we respectfully request that you 
issue a timely ruling either on the enclosed motion or on our 
original motion for a permanent injunction. 

With regard to our argument that interim elections in 1983 are 
necessary, I enclose a copy of the three-judge court's order in 
Burton v. Hobbie, No. 81-617-N, the Alabama legislative | 
reapportionment case, which indicates that court's intention to 
require interim elections for the Legislature in the Fall of 
1983. These elections will effectively reduce the terms of the 
legislators elected this year from four years to one year. 

  

I also call to Your Honor's attention Watson v. Commissioners 
Court of Harrison County, 616 F.2d 105, 107 (5th Cir. 13807, 

  

  

 



i1 Pittman October 

which indicates that allowing incumbents elected under an 
unconstitutional plan to serve a full four-year term may well 
considered an abuse of discretion by the Court of Appeals. 

Best regards. 

Yery respectfully, 

BLACKSHER, MENEFEE & STEIN, P.A. 
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