Order
Public Court Documents
June 19, 1998

11 pages
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Case Files, Cromartie Hardbacks. Order, 1998. 985361ed-da0e-f011-9989-0022482c18b0. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/87839649-0f61-4b66-9ea1-d986a2ae786a/order. Accessed May 14, 2025.
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06/22/98 MON 15:47 FAX 919 967 4953 FERGUSON STEIN @oo2 JUN 22 ’3S8 @1:16PM “® OFFICE » P.2712 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA EASTERN DIVISION FILED No. 4:96-CV-104-BO(3) JUN 22 1998 MARTIN CROMARTIE, et al., DAVID W. DANIEL, CLERK U.S. DISTRICT COURT E TST. NO.CAR Vv, ) ) ) Plaintiffs, ) ) ) ORDER ) JAMES B. HUNT, JR., in his official ) capacity as Governor of the State of ) North Carolina, et al., ) ) This matter is before the Court on the Defendants’ submission of a congressional districting plan for the 1998 congressional elections (the “1998 plan”). By Order dated April 21, 1998, this Court directed the North Carolina General Assembly to enact legislation revising the 1997 congressional districting plan and to submit copies to the Court. The General Assembly enacted House Bill 1394, Session Law 1998-2, redistricting the State of North Carolina's twelve congressional districts, and the Defendants timely submitted the 1998 plan to the Court. The Plaintiffs subsequently filed an opposition and objections to the 1998 plan, and the Defendants have responded to the Plaintiffs’ objections. On June 8, 1998, the United States Department of Justice precleared the 1998 plan pursuant to Section $ of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, 42 U.S.C. § 1973c, and this Court must now decide whether the 1998 plan complies with the Equal Protection Clause of the United States Constitution. Because the Court cannot now say that race was the predominant factor in the drawing of District 12 in the 1998 congressional districting plan, the revised plan is not in violation of the United States Constitution, and the 1998 congressional elections should proceed as scheduled in JUN 22 98 15:58 919 SB7 4953 PAGE. B2 06/22/98 MON 15:47 FAX 919 967 4953 FERGUSON STEIN t= i FLAN 3 No cc "90 Blil6Pr “® OFF ICE * P.3712 the Court's April 21 Order. Ye idpibide oP In Shaw v. Hunt, the United States Supreme Court considered challenges to North Carolina's 1992 congressional districting plan (the "1992 plan") and held that the Twelfth Congressional District ("District 12") in the 1992 plan was drawn with race as the predominant factor, that the districting plan was not narrowly tailored to serve a compelling state interest, and that the 1952 plan violated the Equal Protection Clause. 509 U.S. 630, 113 S. Ct. 2816, 125 L.Ed.2d 511 (1993) ("Shaw I"); 517 U.S. 899, 116 S. Ct. 1894, 135 L.Ed.2d 207 (1996) ("Shaw I). After the North Carolina General Assembly redrew the State's congressional districting plan in 1997, the Plaintiffs in this action challenged the constitutionality of the 1997 plan in this Court. Specifically, the Plaintiffs argued that the Twelfth and First Congressional Districts were unconstitutional racial gerrymanders. Each party moved for summary judgment, and in an Order dated April 3, 1998, the Court granted summary judgment in favor of the Plaintiffs with respect to District 12, Like the Supreme Court in Shaw, this Court held that race was the predominant factor in the drawing of District 12 in the 1997 plan, and that the district was violative of Equal Protection. In its April 3 Order, the Court instructed the Defendants to submit 2 new plan in which race was not the predominant factor in the drawing of District 12. The Court found that neither party could prevail as a matter of law with respect to District 1, and denied summary judgment as to that district. Neither this Court nor the Supreme Court in Shaw has made a legal ruling on the constitutionality of District 1 under the 1992, 1997, or 1998 congressional districting plans. JUN. 22 98 15:51 919 957 4953 PAGE. 83 003 06/22/98 MON 15:48 FAX 919 967 4953 FERGUSON STEIN NCC CJ" Wl 16PM “® OFF ICE # P.4r12 * +* - < In Wise v, Lipscomb the Supreme Court advised that [when a federal court declares an existing apportionment scheme unconstitutional, it is . . . appropriate, whenever practicable, to afford a reasonable opportunity for the legislature to meet constitutional requirements by adopting a substitute measure rather than for the federal court to devise and order into effect its own plan." 437 U.S. 535, 540, 98 S. Ct. 2493, 2497, 57 L.Ed.2d 411 (1978). In reevalustinga substitute districting plan, the court must be cognizant that "a state's freedom of choice to devise a substitute for an apportionment plan found unconstitutional, either in whole or in part, should not be restricted beyond the clear commands of the Equal Protection Clause.” Id. (quoting Burns v. Richardson, 384 U.S. 73, 85, 86 S. Ct. 1286, 1293, 16 L.Ed.2d 376 (1966)). Finally, as the Supreme Court has noted, because "federal court review of districting legislation represents a serious intrusion on the most vital of local functions," this Court must "exercise extraordinary caution in adjudicating" the issues now before it. Miller v. Johnson, 515 U.S. 900, 916, 115 S. Ct. 2475, 2488, 132 L.Ed.2d 762 (1995). Because this Court held only that District 12 in the 1997 plan unconstitutionally used race as the predominant factor in drawing District 12, the Court is now limited to deciding whether race was the predominant factor in the redrawing of District 12 in the 1998 plan. In reviewing the General Assembly's 1998 plan, the Court now concludes that on the record now before us . that race cannot be held to have been the predominant factor in redrawing District 12. In enacting the 1998 plan, the General Assembly aimed to specifically address this Court's concerns about District 12. Thus, the present showing supports the proposition that the primary goal of the legislature in drafting the new plan was "to eliminate the constitutional defeots in District 3 JUN 22 98 15:5] S919 S67 4953 PRGE. 84 dood 06/22/98 MON 15:48 FAX 919 987 4953 FERGUSON STEIN NY EZ "ue CELE ITP “® OFF LCE P.5/12 12." Aff. of Gerry F. Cohen. The State also hoped to change as few districts as possible, to maintain the partisan balance of the State's congressional delegation, to keep incumbents in separate districts and preserve the cores of those districts, and to reduce the division of counties and cities, especially where the Court found the divisions were based on racial lines, Id. With the foregoing in mind, the General Averibly successfully addressed the ¢oncems noted by the Court in its Memorandum Opinion for the purposes of the instant Order. Thus, the 1998 plan includes a Twelfth Congressional District with fewer counties, fewer divided counties, a more "regular" geographic shape, fewer divided towns, and higher dispersion and perimeter compactness measures. District 12 now contains five, rather than six, counties, and one of those counties is whole. District 12 no longer contains any part of the City of Greensboro or Guilford County. The 1998 plan no longer divides Thomasville, Salisbury, Spencer, or Statesville, The new plan also addresses the Court's concern that it not assign precincts on a racial basis. While the Court noted in its Memorandum Opinion that the 1997 plan excepted from District 12 many adjacent "voting precincts with less than 35 percent African-American population, but heavily Democratic voting registrations,” the 1998 plan includes fourteen precincts in Mecklenburg County m which previous Democratic performance was sufficient to further the State's interest in maintaining the partisan balance within the congressional delegation. The General Assembly also added several Forsyth County precinets to smooth and regulanize the District's boundaries. These changes resulted in a total African-American population in District 12 of 35 per cent of the total population of the district, down from 46 per cent under the 1997 plan. x + x * Based on the foregoing, the Court now accepts the 1998 plan as written. The 1998 4 JUN 22 ’98 15:51 3919 S67 4953 PAGE. 85 doo5 48 FAX 919 967 4953 FERGUSON STEIN [doos Be/22/2% AON Eig ©l:1lrrm e OFF ILE | P.6712 congressional elections will thus proceed under this plan, as scheduled in this Court's April 21, 1998, Order. As noted above, neither this Court nor any other has made a [egal ruling on the constitutionality of District 1. The 1998 plan is only approved with respect to the 1998 congressional elections, but the Court reserves jurisdiction with regard to the constitutionality of District 1 under this plan and as to District 12 should new evidence emerge. This matter should therefore proceed with discovery and trial accordingly. The partics are ordered to submit proposed discovery schedules to the Court on or before June 30, 1998. SO ORDERED. | Y I+ This 19 day of June, 1998. SAM J. ERVIN, ITI United States Circuit Judge TERRENCE W, BOYLE Chief United States District Judge RICHARD L. VOORHEES United States District Judge Callen J 4 TERRENCE W. BOYLE CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE JUN 22°98 15:51 919 957 4953 ¥, 06/22/98 MON 15:48 FAX 919 987 4953 FERGUSON STEIN @oo7 , SUIT eet Po BlLilTrM “® OFFICE Es IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE UNITED STATES FILED FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA In EASTERN DIVISION AN 22 B® CIVIL NO. 4:96CVv104-BO(3) DAVID W. DANIEL, CLERK U.S. DISTRICT COURT E. DIST. NO. CAR, MARTIN CROMARTIE, et al., Plaintiffs, JAMES B. HUNT, JR., in his capacity as Governor of the State of North Carolina, et al., Defendants. ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) THIS MATTER is before the Court on "Metion Of Alfred Smallwood, David Moore, William M. Hodges, Robert L. Davis, Jr., Jan Valder, Barney Offerman, Virginia Newell, Charles Lambeth and George Simkins To Intervene" filed November 26, 1997 and "Second Renewed Motion Of Alfred Smallwood, David Moore, William M. Hodges, Robert L. Davis, Jr., Jan Valder, Barney Offerman, Virginia Newell, Charles Lambeth, and George Simkins For Leave To intervene As Defendant" filed May 26, 1998. Defendants in this action have filed a response indicating that they do not cbject to the motions. Plaintiffs have not filed a written response. Upon review of both motions, the Court finds that the prospective intervenors meet the requirements of Rule 24 (a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and are therefore entitled to intervene as of right in this action. JUN 22 '98 15:52 919 967 4553 PAGE. 87 06/22/98 MON 15:49 FAX 919 967 4953 FERGUSON STEIN @o0s JUN 22 +88 dal: 18PM “@® OFFICE » P.Bri2 IT IS, THEREFORE, ORDERED that the "Motion Of Alfred Smallwood, David Moore, William M. Hodges, Robert IL. Davis, Wo Mh Jan Valder, Barney Offerman, Virginia Newell, Charles Lambeth and George Simkins To Intervene" and "Second Renewed Motion Of Alfred Smallwood, David Moore, William M. Hodges, Robert L. Davis, Jr., Jan Valder, Barney Offerman, Virginia Newell, Charles Lambeth, and George Simkins For Leave To Intervene As Defendant" are GRANTED. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that leave of Court is GRANTED for Defendant - Intervenors to file their proposed amended answer. y THIS the _g O "day of June, 199s. SAM J. ERVIN, III United States Circuit Judge TERRENCE W. BOYLE Chief United States District Judge RICHARD L. VOORHEES United States District Judge Sv ini (J, flr TERRENCE W. BOYLE Z Chief United States District fu JUN 22.98 15:52 919 967 4553 PRGE. 88 06/22/98 MON 15:49 FAX 919 987 4953 FERGUSON STEIN JUN £2 ‘SB 81:1BPM a | OFFICE » P.S712 IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE UNITED STATES F ILED FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT QF NORTH CAROLINA EASTERN DIVISION “UY oo 1998 CIVIL NO. 4:56CV104-BO (3) ons : DW Dang oLE 8. DISTRICT GouRT JSTNOG MARTIN CROMARTIE, et al., CAR Plaintiffs, Va. ORDER JAMES B. HUNT, JR., in his capacity as Governor of the State of North Carolina, et al., ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) Defendants. ) ) ) THIS MATTER is before the Court on the "United States’ Motion and Memorandum for Leave To File Brief As Amicus Curiae" filed June 95, 1998. Upon review of the motion, the Court finds, in its discretion, that the United States’ involvement in this case would be desirable. See United States v. State of Louisiana, 751 F. Supp. 608, 620 (E.D. La. 1990). IT IS. THEREFORE, ORDERED that the "United States’ Motion and Memorandum for Leave To File Brief As Amicus Curiae" is hereby GRANTED. § oi THIS the / Ags of June, 19598. JUN 22 98 15:52 919 957 4953 PRGE. 89 @o09 06 /22/98 MON 15:49 FAX 919 9867 4953 JUN 22.798 Bl1:18PM | OFFICE » JUN: 22 98 15:52 @o1o0 FERGUSON STEIN P.1es12 SAM J. ‘ERVIN, III United States Circuit Judge TERRENCE W. BOYLE Chief United States District Judge RICHARD L. VOORHEES United States District Judge By: TERRENCE W. BOYLE Chief United States District Jfidge 919 9574353 PRGE. 10 06/22/98 MON 15:49 FAX 919 967 4953 FERGUSON STEIN @o11 JUN 22 ’'S8 01:18PM “@ OFFICE » P.11/32 IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA EASTERN DIVISION FILED CIVIL NO. 4:96CV104-B0O(3) Jun 22 DAVID W. DANIEL, CLERK U.S. DISTRICT COURT E DIST. NO. CAR MARTIN CROMARTIE, et al., Plaintiffs, Y. JAMES B. HUNT, JR., in his capacity as Governor of the State of North Carolina, et al., Defendants. THIS MATTER is before the Court on a Motion "For Leave To Flle A Brief And Participate In Oral Arguments As An Amicus Curiae" filed by Norman Primus on May 14, 1998. Upon review of the motion, the Court finds that Mr. Primus’ participation in this case would not be "useful to or otherwise desirable by the court." United States v. State of Louisiana, 751 F. Supp. 608, 620 (E.D. La. 1950). IT IS, THEREFORE, ORDERED that the Motion "For Leave To File A Brief And Participate In Oral Arguments As An Amicus Curiae" is hereby DENIED. THIS the [ Al of June, 1998. JUN 22 98 15:52 919 SB7 4953 PHAGE. 11 06/22/98 MON 15:49 FAX 919 967 4953 Y JUN 22 ‘98 81:18PM = JUN 22 193 15:53 FERGUSON STEIN 012 As P.12712 SAM J. ERVIN, III United States Circuit Judge TERRENCE W. BOYLE Chief United States District Judge RICHARD L. VOORHEES United States District Judge TERRENCE W. BOYLE Chief United States District 919 ‘957 4953 PAGE. 12