Original Brief Submitted on Behalf of Amicus Curiae Supreme Court Justice for Orleans, Inc.

    89-3654 
lin tilt 

ROO *tutu Tourt of Appals 
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT 

NO. 89-3654 

RONALD CHISOM, 
ET AL 

PLAINTIFFS-APPELLANTS • 

VERSUS 

CHARLES E. ROEMER, 
ET AL 

DEFENDANTS-APPELLEES 

APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 
FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA 

CIVIL ACTION NO. 86-4075 
SECTION "A" 

HONORABLE CHARLES SCHWARTZ, JR., JUDGE PRESIDING 

ORIGINAL BRIEF SUBMITTED ON BEHALF OF 
AMICUS CURIAE 

SUPREME COURT JUSTICE FOR ORLEANS, INC. 

DARLEEN M. JACOBS - BAR #7208 
(A PROFESSIONAL LAW CORPORATION) 
823 St. Louis Street 
New Orleans, Louisiana 70112 
(504) 522-3287 & 522-0155 

A B Letter Service, Inc., 327 Chartres St., New Orleans, La. (504) 581-5555 

drs11, 



CERTIFICATE OF INTEREST PARTIES  

Amicus Curiae, SUPREME COURT JUSTICE FOR ORLEANS, INC., hereby adopts 

the Certificate of Interested Parties filed by plaintiffs-appellants, RONALD CHISOM, et 

al. SUPREME COURT JUSTICE FOR ORLEANS, INC. is a non-profit Louisiana 

corporation which promotes voter education within Louisiana Supreme Court District 

One (1), comprising the Parishes of Jefferson, St. Bernard, Plaquemines and Orleans. 

The directors of SUPREME COURT JUSTICE FOR ORLEANS, INC., who have an 

interest in the outcome of this litigation, are: 

1.) John S. Keller, of New Orleans, Louisiana; 

2.) Ira J. Middleberg, of New Orleans, Louisiana; and 

3.) Denise S. Abadie, of New Orleans, Louisiana. 

Counsel for SUPREME COURT JUSTICE FOR ORLEANS, INC. who also have 'an 

interest in the outcome of this litigation are: 

•1.) The Law Offices of Darleen M. Jacobs, represented by: 

a.) 

b.) 

Darleen M. Jacobs, Esq. 

Brian C. Beckwith, Esq. 

These representations are made here for the sole purpose of permitting the Judges 

of this Court to evaluate the case for possible disqualification and/or recusal, pursuant to 

Local Rule 28.2.1. 



STATUTES CITED  

Fifth Circuit Local Rule 47.7 (1987) 

28 U.S.C. 1657(a) 

42 U.S.C. 1973 

42 U.S.C. 1983 

Fourteenth Amendment - U.S. Constitution 

Fifteenth Amendment - U.S. Constitution 



STATEMENT REGARDING ORAL ARGUMENT  

Amicus Curiae, SUPREME COURT JUSTICE FOR ORLEANS, INC., does not 

request leave to appear at oral arguments. 

STATEMENT REGARDING JURISDICTION  

Amicus Curiae respectfully adopts the statement of jurisdiction contained in the 

original brief of plaintiff-appellant, RONALD CHISOM, et al. Amicus further submits 

that jurisdiction is uncontested. 

STATEMENT REGARDING AMICUS CURIAE  

Amicus Curiae herein is SUPREME COURT JUSTICE FOR ORLEANS, INC., a non-

profit Louisiana corporation, not affiliated with any political party or candidate, whose 

stated purposes are to: 1.) Promote voter education in the Louisiana Supreme Court 

District One (1), comprising the parishes of Jefferson, St. Bernard, Plaquemines, and 

Orleans; and 2.) To provide a non-partial forum for the public discussion of • Supreme 

Court redistricting without regard to political party affiliation. Amicus Curiae here 

appears on behalf of plaintiffs-appellants, RONALD CHISOM, et al. Amicus Curiae does 

not represent any candidate or potential candidate for Louisiana Supreme Court Justice 

from the First District, but does have an interest in the outcome of this litigation as 

being solely comprised of registered voters in the Louisiana state Supreme Court First 

District. 

SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT  

This appeal, which affects important civil rights with respect to elections for 

Louisiana Supreme Court justices, warrants priority determination. 



IN THE 

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS 

FIFTH CIRCUIT 

NO. 89-3654 

RONALD CHISOM, ET AL 

• PLAINTIFFS-APPELLANTS 

• VERSUS 

CHARLES E. ROEMER, ET AL 

DEFENDANTS-APPELLEES 

APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA 

• CIVIL ACTION 

NO. 86-4075 

SECTION "A" 

HONORABLE CHARLES SCHWARTZ, JR. 

JUDGE PRESIDING 

ORIGINAL BRIEF SUBMITTED ON BEHALF OF 

AMICUS CURIAE 



MAY WE PLEASE THE COURT: 

STATEMENT OF THE CASE  

COURSE OF PRIOR PROCEEDINGS  

Amicus Curiae, SUPREME COURT JUSTICE FOR .ORLEANS, INC., respectfully 

adopts the statement of the case and the descriptions of prior proceedings contained in 

the original brief of plaintiffs-appellants, RONALD CHISOM, et al. 

ARGUMENT  

THIS CASE SHOULD BE GIVEN PRIORTY STATUS  

SUPREME COURT JUSTICE FOR ORLEANS, INC., Amicus Curiae herein, 

respectfully files this present brief for the sole purpose of suggesting to this Court that 

the extreme importance of this case to the makeup of the Louisiana Supreme Court 

warrants that this appeal be given priority status for expedited resolution. 

Local Rule 47.7 of this Court permits certain cases may be given preference for 

processing and disposition if good cause is shown therefor, citing 28 U.S.C. Section 1657. 

This statute, in turn, provides that civil actions may be given priority status for 

expedited consideration when good cause exists for such. The statute specifically 

provides that "good cause" is shown for purposes of 28 U.S.C. 1657(a) if: 

"a right under the Constitution of the United States or a 
Federal Statute   would be maintained in a factual 
context that indicates a request for expedited 
consideration has merit." 

This is a voter discrimination case, brought pursuant to the Voting Rights Act (42 

U.S.C. 1973) and the Civil Rights Act (42 U.S.C. 1983), to secure rights guaranteed by the 

Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. 

Amicus Curiae is a non-profit, non-partisan entity that promotes voter education, 

awareness, and voter participation in the free elections as being the very foundation 

behind our society. The ramifications of this case are such as to impact greatly on the 

1 



exercise of important civil rights. 

This and other recent cases (n.b. Clark vs. Edwards/Roemer) have challenged the 

very fabric of Louisiana judicial elections from the courts of least jurisdiction to the 

highest. The Clark vs. Edwards/Roemer case deals with the fairness of all inferior 

Louisiana judicial elections and those of the state Supreme Court. Due to these 

challenges, elections have been enjoined statewide. In order to protect the integrity of 

the judicial offices, expedited resolution of this appeal is more than justified. 

Amicus Curiae, conscious of the needs of judicial economy, and reluctant to burden 

this Court with unnecessary and duplication arguments, respectfully defers to arguments 

of plaintiffs-appellants regarding the exact nature of import civil rights which are 

affected by this case. However, Amicus does humbly submit the importance of this case 

to the Louisiana Supreme Court First District election which should be held in 1990. 

Amicus submits that whatever may be the outco ,6 on the merits of this ase, the matter 

should be resolved as expeditiously as possible 

EEN M. #7218 
( PROFESS INAL L CORPORATION) 
8 3 St. Lou 
ew Orlean ana 70112 

'(504) 522-32 522-0155 

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE  

I certify that I have on this 

foregoing on all counsel of record via the ted States st Service, properly 

addressed and postage prepaid. 

day of December, 1989, served a copy of the 

DARLE OBS 

2 



cc: Mr. Robert G. Pugh 
Pugh (Sc Pugh 
333 Texas Street 
Suite 2100 
Shreveport, LA 71101 

Mr. Peter J. Butler 
Attorney At Law 
201 St. Charles Ave. 
35th Floor 
New Orleans, LA 70170 

Mr. Blake G. Arata 
Attorney At Law 
201 St. Charles Ave. 
New Orleans, LA 70130 

Mr. Roy J. Rodney, Jr. 
McGlinchey, Stafford, Mintz, 

Cellini dc Lang 
P. 0. Box 60643 
New Orleans, LA 70160-0643 

Mr. Ronald L. Wilson 
Attorney At Law 
837 Gravier Street 
Suite 310 
New Orleans, LA 70112 

Ms. Pamela S. Karlan 
University of Virginia 
School of Law 
Charlottesville Virginia 22901 

Mr. Julius L. Chambers 
Ms. Sherrilyn A. Ifill 
Ms. Judith Reed 
Legal Defense Fund, Inc. 
999 Hudson Street - 16th Floor 
New York, New York 10013 

Mr. Gerald W. Jones 
Mr. Steven H. Rosenbaum 
Mr. Robert S. Berman 
Attorneys, Voting Section 
Civil Rights Division 
Department of Justice 
P. 0. Box 66128 
Washington, D.C. 20035-6128 

- 3 - 

Mr. George Strickler, Jr. 
Attorney At Law 
639 Loyola Avenue 
Suite 1075 
New Orleans, LA 70113 

Mr. M. Truman Woodward, Jr. 
Attorney At Law 
909 Poydras Street 
Suite 2300 
New Orleans, LA 70130 

Mr. Moon Landrieu 
Attorney At Law 
717 Girod Street 
New Orleans, LA 70130 

Mr. A. R. Christovich 
Attorney At Law 
601 Poydras Street 
Suite 2300 
New Orleans, LA 70130 

Ms. C. Lani Guinier 
University of Pennsylvania 
School of Law 
3400 Chestnut Street 
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 

Mr. William P. Quigley 
901 Convention Center Blvd. 
New Orleans, LA 70130 

Mr. William J. Guste, Jr. 
Attorney General 
Louisiana Department of Justice 
• 234 Loyola Avenue - 7th Floor 
New Orleans, LA 70112