Application for Stay and Recall of Mandate Pending Certiorari
Public Court Documents
May 3, 1978
16 pages
Cite this item
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Case Files, Bolden v. Mobile Hardbacks and Appendices. Application for Stay and Recall of Mandate Pending Certiorari, 1978. a80b1289-cdcd-ef11-8ee9-6045bddb7cb0. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/c89acb03-1e20-4bd6-8fe5-a43728c721a8/application-for-stay-and-recall-of-mandate-pending-certiorari. Accessed November 19, 2025.
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IN THE SUPREME COURT
OF THE UNITED STATES
October Term 1977
CITY OF MOBILE, ALABAMA, et al., Petitioners,
Vv. No. A-
WILEY L. BOLDEN, et al., (Nos. 76-4210 and 77-2042,
Beh Cir.)
Respondents.
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Pending Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the United
States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
APPLICATION FOR STAY AND RECALL OF
MANDATE PENDING CERTIORARI
To MR. JUSTICE POWELL as Circuit Justice:
Petitioners, City of Mobile, et al., ‘apply, pursuant to 28
} U.S.C. §2101(f) and Rules 27 and 50-51 of the Rules of this Court,
| for an Order staying the Order of the 5th Circuit of March 29,
1978 and recalling the Mandate, transmitted April 24, 1978 by the
5th Circuit to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama. This Order of Stay and Recall is necessary
| to preserve the effective jurisdiction of this Court on certiorari
and to prevent irreparable harm pending final disposition of this
case.
The irreparable harm is similar in nature to — and greater
in degree than — the harm found sufficient to justify a Stay and
Recall in Wise v. Lipscomb, U.S. 1208 :S Ct, 15 (3977)
(Powell, J., as Circuit Justice). The harm, and the likelihood
of certiorari being granted, are set forth more particularly
in the attached Memorandum of Points and Authorities in support
| of this Application.
| The United States District Court for the Southern District
of Alabama on October 21 and 22, 1976, found the Commission form
of government operating in Mobile since 1911 to impermissibly
| pp. 109-110), set budget procedures (J. App., pp. 120-130) and
procedure for runoff elections (J. App. pp. 98-100), the compen-
118), the time of Council meetings (J. App. pp. 106-108), the
provided in detail the duties and supervision of City officials
who were not even to be elected, such as the Finance Director
districts. But the Commissioners' executive duties (Each Commis-
dilute the votes of black Mobilians and ordered elections to
Mayor and Councilmen from 9 single-member districts to be held
August 1977. 423 F. Supp. 384, 404 (5.D. Ala. 1976). The Court
recognized the reasonable debatability of the constitutional
necessity of ordering a change in the City's form of government,
423 F. Supp. at 384, and encouraged expeditious appeal. Id.
The District Court on March 9, 1977 issued an order imple-
menting in detail the change the Mayor-Council government (5th Cir}
J APPer DD. 52-145) This Order established the power, duties
and terms of office of the Mayor and Councilmen; the Court retain-
ed jurisdiction for 6 years (J. App., P. 94). The Court: drew the
district lines (J. App., pp. 96-97), established the time and
sation of election Councilmen and Mayor (J. App. pp. 101-105, 113-1}
power and limitations in the Council to grant franchises (J. App..,}
{J. ApP., Dp. 130-138).
The scope of the implementing Order could not have been other:
wise. For this was not merely a change from electing councilmen aj
large to electing them from several, smaller districts. This was
a Court-ordered change from Commission to strong-Mayor form of
government; Commissioners could not be elected from single-member
sioner heads a department: Public Works and Services, Public
Safety, and Finance, see 423 F. Supp. at 386) had to be fit into a
Mayor-Council scheme.
1/ For the convenience of the Court, copies of the October 1976
= and March 9, 1977 Orders of the District Court (as printed
in the Joint Appendix before the 5th Circuit), as well as the
Stay Orders of April 7, 1977 {(8.D. Ala.) and June 14, 1977
(5th Cir.), the 5th Circuit's opinion and Order on the merits
(slip op. 3408, with companion cases at slip op. 3373, 3419
and 3431, not here involved) and the Order of the 5th Circuit
denying stay of mandate (April 24, 1978) are attached.
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The District Court on April 7, 1977 stayed its Order of
October 1976 and implementation Order of March 9, 1977. The
Court cited the confusion and irreparable harm if its Order of
Mayor-Council elections was reversed after elections had been held
(Order, pp. 2-3). Two changes in the form of government (first
to Mayor-Council, then back to Commission upon possible vacation
i of the District Court's implementing Order on appeal), with the
| attendant changes in appointed officials and operations (as pro-
vided in the District Court's detailed impelementation Order) were
seen as inefficient and threatening the very delivery of vital
government services. (Order, p. 4). The District Court expressly
balanced the speculative harm to black Mobilians of continuing,
pending appellate review, under a government elected under an
at-large system found by that Court to be unconstitutional. On
balance, the equities were in favor of staying implementation of
the Order changing to a districted Mayor-Council system (Order,
p. 5) pendente lite.
The District Court's analysis is as correct now as it was on
April 7, 1977. The District Court expressed no doubt about the
correctness of its findings and conclusions; but it was sufficient}
to merit a Stay that the points were reasonably debatable. (Order,
P. 6).
At oral argument, the 5th Circuit expanded the District
| Court's Stay by staying all elections pendente lite. (Order,
June 14, 1977). The case was argued June 13, 1977 and decided
March 29, 1978. No modification of the District Court's or Court
' of Appeals' stays was sought by Plaintiffs.
This Court of Appeals' June 1977 stay Order was dissolved
Hon March 29, 1978 (slip op. 3408, 3418). On April 24, 1978 the
5th Circuit (Tjoflat, J.) denied a Motion to Stay the issuance
of the Mandate pending certiorari. This Motion satisfies the
requirements of Rules 27 and 51(2) of the Rules of this Court.
The mandate has been transmitted to the District Court below by
denial of Motion to Stay Mandate. It would be futile and irre-
parable, time consuming and wasteful to move again for a Stay
before both the District Court and Court of Appeals below.
Therefore, this Application for Stay and Recall is timely
and ripe.
Petitioners ask only for the continuation of a stay already
found by the District Court and Court of Appeals below to be
merited. The status quo of a stay of elections pending appellate
review, for 1 year, produced no demonstrable harm to Plaintiffs
(Respondents here); the status quo avoided the irreparable harm
to black and white Mobilians alike recognized by the two Courts
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below as ineluctable.
WHEREFORE, petitions urge that the revival (by Order of the
Court of Appeals, March 29, 1978) of implementation Order of
March 9, 1977 and the underlying Order of October 1976 be stayed,
and the mandate be recalled, pending disposition by this Court of
Petition for Certiorari, due on or before June 27, 1978.
Respectfully submitted,
Clone) pth x
C. B. Arendall, Jr.
Williams C. Tidwell, Fo
Travis M. Bedsole, Jr.
Post Office Box 123
Mobile, Alabama 36601
Fred G. Collins
City Attorney
City Hall
Mobile, Alabama 36602
Charles S. Rhyne
William S. Rhyne
Donald A. Carr
Martin W. Matzen
1000 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.
Suite 800
Washington, D. C. 20036
(202) 466-5420
Attorneys for Petitioners
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| entered Stays indistinguishable from the Stay sought herein.=
IN THE SUPREME COURT
OF THE UNITED STATES
October Term 1977
CITY OF MOBILE, ALABAMA, et al.,
Petitioners,
Vv. A-
WILEY 1... BOLDEN, et al., (Nos. 76-4210 and 77-2042,
5th Cir.)
Respondents.
Pending Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the United
States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
MEMORANDUM OF POINTS AND
AUTHORITIES IN SUPPORT OF
APPLICATION FOR STAY AND
RECALL OF MANDATE
The Application sets forth the scope of the Orders of which
review 1s to be sought in this Court; the Application also indi-
cates that both the District Court and the Court of Appeals below
L/
In order to maintain the status quo (a stay of election and change to
| Court-ordered Mayor-Council form) by Order of this Court, Peti-
tioners must show: (1) irreparable harm, and (2) a "reasonable
probability that four members of the Court will consider the issue
sufficiently meritorious to grant certiorari." Wise v. Lipscomb,
28 8.Ct. 15,119 (1977) (Powell, J., as Circuit Justice), guoting
from Graves v. Barnes, 405 U.S. 1201, 1203 (1972), rev'd sub nom.
White v. Regester, 412 U.S. 755 (1973).
1/ This Stay is necessary because the Judgment of the 5th Circuit
to be reviewed, slip op. 3408, 3418, dissolved both stays and
reinstated the broad implementing Order of elections and
operations under a Mayor-Council form of government.
The Recall of Mandate is necessary because of the denial on
April 24, 1978 by the 5th Circuit (Tjoflat, J.) of Petitioners
Motion for Stay of Mandate.
This case presents the same issues present in Lipscomb and
Graves: whether a particular at-large electoral system dilutes
the votes of black citizens in a way prohibited by the 14th Amend-
ment.
The need for a Stay is more severe in this case than in
} Lipscomb or Graves. Those cases involved an Order changing only
the composition of the electorate voting for a particular office-
holder. This case involves as well an Order changing the form,
nature and duties of the officeholder. Commissioners, campaigningj
and serving as functional experts in a combined legislative-exe-
cutive role, are to be replaced by a Council with strong Mayor.
The ordering of salaries and duties of an entire City government
is a quantum more dislocating than the mere division of electoral
districts from one into nine.
At stake here is Mobile's existing form of government, not
| merely the manner of its election.
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| must proceed to implement its order disestablishing Mobile's
|| existing Commission form of government and substituting therefor
| a Mayor-Council form elected by single-member district. From
i Plaintiffs here, as there, assert harm from delaying remedy. Here,
| as there, the issue of the constitutional appropriateness of the
| the holding of elections pursuant to the remedial Order.
black and white Mobilians, only to be fired and divested upon
MOBILE WILL SUFFER IRREPARABLE
HARM UNLESS STAY IS GRANTED
Upon issuance of th¢mandate, the District Court
this changeover, if it occurs, there is no practicable return.
The balance of equities here fits the pattern of Lipscomb.
Orders of the District Court below would be effectively mooted by
To the balance in favor of maintaining the status guo must
be added the irreparable harm to all Mobilians of tentative imple-
mentation pendente lite of an Order that a complete executive
branch of City government be hired, paid, invested with powers
defined by Court Order and entrusted to respond to the needs of
reversal of the Court of Appeals.
According to the "intensely local sppraisaindd of the Dis-
trict Court below (acceded to by the 5th Circuit at oral argu-
ment), this was irreparable harm not to be imposed pending appeal by requiring
a showing of certain error in the issuance of the Order subject
to appellate review. Nonetheless, reviewable and reversable
error there is.
2/ White v. Regester, 412 U.S. 755, 770 (1973).
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II.
THE PROBABILITY THAT CERTIORARI
WILL BE GRANTED IS SUBSTANTIAL
As in Wise v. Lipscomb, supra, this case involves the gov-
ernment of a "major city that has adhered to its tradition of
at-large elctions" for over 65 years. 98 S.Ct. at 19. Unlike the |
situation in Lipscomb, the continued existence of Mobile's commis
sion government requires the use of such an electoral system.
The Court of Appeals below recognized a continuum of accept-
ability of at-large voting systems. Court-ordered remedial plans
presumptively must be single-member districts. Greater deference
is accorded at-large plans established by State or local legisla-
tive or electoral act; greater deference still is accorded at-
large plans adopted long ago.
This case represents a further step on the continuum of
deference: at-large plans adopted long ago, not simply because of
an intrinsic preference for at-large plans to assure City-wide
perspective, but because Commissioners constitationalive) must
be elected at-large. To order a change in Mobile is to undo not
just at-large elootions?’ but a form of administration of 67
yvears' standing.
To be sure, locally adopted at-large plans can be undone.
But only on an evidentiary showing which increases along the
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continuum of deference.=
3/ The District Court below so found. 423 F. Supp. 384, 387
(S.D. Ala. 1976).
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4/ Cf., Zimmeyr v, MoXeithen, 485 F.2d 1297, 1301 (3th Cir. 1973)
(en banc), aff'd sub nom. East Carroll Parish School Board t
v. Marshall, 424 U.85. 636 (1976) (at-large plan adopted in
1968 to avoid one-man-one-vote difficulties).
5/ This is merely a weighting of the interest of the State or
3 City in maintaining its plan. The government's interest has
been a principal factor in the dilution eguation since White
v. Regester, 412 U.S. 755 (1973) as embellished by Zimmer,
485 7.24 1297, 1305 (8th Cir. 1973) (en banc).
The basis upon which the City's form of government is to be
abrogated involved adjudication of constitutional principles which
are both complex and difficult of application, especially so in light of the unique facts of this case.
For example, the District Court had found that black
| Mobilians were able freely to register, vote, and seek office
(423 F. Supp. at 387, 399), vet no serious black candidate had
ever run for the City Commission and carried predominantly black
wards only to be defeated by racially polarized voting (423 F.
Supp. at 388). And the record clearly demonstrated that black
| citizens enjoyed and used real electoral power, with all candi-
dates actively seeking black votes which in fact constituted the :
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"swing vote" in the City's most recent election. (J. App. Z247~
250).
To conclude on such facts that black Mobilians are "denied |}
access" to the City's political processes is to improperly equate |
the purported difficulty of black voters in electing black offi-
cials with the existence of a constitutional violation, contrary
+0 the teachings of Whitcomb v., Chavis, 403 U.S. 124, 149 (1571),
Beer v. United States, 425 U.8. 130, 136 n. 8 (1976), and United
ii Jewish Organizations of Williamsburgh v. Carey, 430 U.S. 144, 165+ me
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67 (1977). Indeed, this case is totally unique in its finding
of "dilution" where no black candidate viable even with black
voters has ever run for election.
Quite apart from the issue of whether the Court could properly
hold Mobile's electoral system discriminatory in effect, the
further issue is whether any such effect is the result of invidious
racial purpose. For under the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amend-
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ments ,—~ the question is whether Mobile's commission form of
6/ With this, the 5th Circuit agreed in the companion case to
Mobile, Nevett v. Sides, slip op. 3373, 3382, 3385 f{Mar.
29,1978).
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government represents purposeful discrimination against, or a
purposeful contrivance to dilute the voting strength of black
citizens. See United Jewish Organizations, supra, 430 U.S. at
179 (Stewart, J. concurring). The Court of Appeals has now
correctly held, as the District Court did not, that proof of
such a purpose 1s an essential element in voting dilution cases.
Yet the legal standard of proof of such intent applied by the
Court in this case is in conflict with the principles enunciated
by the Supreme Court in several recent cases.
The essence of the Court of Appeals' holding is that where
application of the criteria set out in Zimmer v. McKeithen, 485
F.28 1297 (5th Cir. 1973) (en banc), affirmed sub nom. East
Carroll Parish School Board v. Marshall, 424 U.S. 636 (1976)
("without approval of [its] constitutional views", 424 U.S. at
638), indicates a current condition of voting dilution, the
maintenance of such a system without affirmative corrective actior
compels the inference of purposeful dilution. Slip op. at 3416-
17.
The Court, in proffering a circumstantial test of intent,
did not distinguish between electoral plans newly created or
UW changed, and those neutrally adopted and long maintained.-— i fio
8/ melded cases involving Court-ordered districting— with cases
involving maintenance of a system of administration, without
7/ Nevett v. Sides (Nevett Il), slip op. 3373, 3393 (Mar. 29,
1978):
"The ultimate issue in a case alleging uncon-
stitutional dilution of the votes of a racial
group is whether the districting plan under
attack exists because it was intended to di-
mish or dilute the political efficacy of that
group." (emphasis added).
8/ E.g., Birksey v. Board of Hinds County, 554 F.28 139, 140
(5th Cir. 19877) (en banc), cert. denied, U.S. 98
S.Ct. 512 41977).
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change and without prior judicial intervention, for 67 years.
See Nevett II, slip op. 3373, 3384 n. 13 at 3385, 3387. Compare
Wise v. Lipscomb, 98 S8.Ct, 15, 17 (1977) (Powell, J., as Circuit
Justice).
It is clear that even where minority voters are in fact
substantially disadvantaged in their ability to elect minority
candidates by an existing electoral plan in the presence of
racially polarized voting, no per se constitutional violation
exists and there arises no constitutional or statutory duty of
"affirmative action" by the legislature to correct the situation.
United Jewish Organizations, supra, 97 S.Ct. at 1010; Beer, supra
425 U.S. at 141 (Voting Rights Act requires only that changes not
o/ be retrogressive) .= Yet the Court's decision in effect retro-
actively imposes just such a duty.
Recent cases also contradict the Court's apparent notion
that either action or inaction, coupled with awareness of racial
impact, compels the inference of racial purpose. For example,
if awareness of racially disproportionate impact were equivalent
to an invidious intent to accomplish such impact, the outcome of
Washington v. Davis, 426 U.S. 229 (1976), where the police depart
ment continuted to administer its employment test despite its
awareness that a disproportionate number of black applicants
failed, 426 U.S. at 252, would necessarily have been different.
Similarly in Village of Arlington Heights v. Metropolitan Housingj
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Development Corp., 429 U.S. 252 (1977), zoning officials were
well aware that existing policies had the effect of maintaining
the "nearly all white" status of the village, and the Court of
9/ Indeed, the action of the Alabama legislature in assigning
specific functions to the City Commissioners, which the
Court of Appeals found so "probative" of racial purpose
{slip op. 3408, 341ll n. 2, 3416-17), was clearly a non-retro-
gressive enactment. Act 283 in fact merely codified the
longstanding practice of the commissioners' undertaking of
specific functions, archetypal of the commission form of
government. It merely added a functional designation to the
already numbered place on the Commission for which every
candidate had to announce and run.
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Appeals had held that they "could not simply ignore this problem.
429 U.S. at 260. Yet the Supreme Court upheld the maintenance of
these policies for reasons racially neutral, despite their ex-
clusionary effect.
Where, as in Mobile, the official policy or action challengeq
is both facially neutral and serves legitimate governmental in-
terests, it is the clear teaching of these cases that an invidious
racial purpose may not so lightly be inferred. Particularly
because the legislative action necessary here to avoid the lower
Courts' condemnation would have required not merely redistricting
but a complete restructuring of Mobile's existing system of gov-
ernment, the evidence here in no way warrants such an inference.
Indeed, because this case is one in which black citizens plaved
a significant role in the City's politics of racial coalition
rather than supporting separate black candidacies, it is impos-
sible to impute to the Commissioners an invidious intent to
suppress black voting strength which might logically arise from
serious challenges by black candidates for their posts.
The factor of purpose — and the principle of the Court of
Appeals below that purpose is shown by maintenance of a form of
government innocently adopted — returns us in closing to the
continuum of deference. Like Wise v. Lipscomb, supra, this case
concerns the standards of judicial scrutiny applicable to a
legislative electoral plan which utilizes at-large representa-
tion to further a valid municipal interest. 98 S.C:-. at 17-18.
But, in contrast to Lipcomb, the issues here revolve around the
"constitutional liability" of Mobile's form of government to
judicially-imposed change, rather than centering on standards for|
court approval of legislative plans proffered to remedy on un-
constitutional electoral system.
This Court has correctly observed that "viable local gov-
ernments may need considerable flexibility in local arrangements”
in order to meet local needs. Abate v. Mundt, 403 U.S. 182,
186-87 (1971). At-large electoral systems, integral and
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constitutionally necessary to the commission form of government
used by approximately 3% of this Nation's 18,500 municipali- ties, 33 further valid governmental objectives and are entitled
to at least "limited deference." Lipscomb, supra, 98 S5.Ct. at
17:n.,.2.
| The test of invidious intent applied below stands "de-
| ference" on its head. The City's long history of Commission
Government is anomalously used to rationalize its abolition. See
slip op. at 3414-15. Fundamental changes of a city's form of
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government are an exceptional event, and yet the Courts below
have cast the unexceptional — homeostasis — into a racial mold
i with apparent ease. The Court of Appeals here has applied a
transparently "tort standard" of discriminatory intent which
| affixes liability for conduct at most negligent and not invidiously
motivated.
At its worst, the "purpose-maintenance" test is an invita-
tion to the City to proffer an affirmative defense to a showing
of discriminatory effect 22 in much the same way that employment
| discrimination cases demand a showing of job-relatedness to re-
.
1/ The necessity sist a clear showing of discriminatory effect.
of at-large elections to the maintenance of the Commission form
is that affirmative defense. It stands of record here, unrebutted
10/ The Municipal Year Book, International City Management
Association, Tables 2 and 1/1 (1976).
ll/ As pointed out above, the Findings of the District Court
| below will not support even the ultimate finding of dis-
criminatory effect.
In passing, we note that findings of ultimate fact are
entitled to none of the phlegmatic review given under the
"clearly erroneous" standard. E.g., Causey v. Ford Motor
Co., 516 P.28 416, 420-21 (5th-Cir., 1975).
12/ The required strong showing has been absent in innocently
ha adopted plans whose maintenance had the effect of maintain-
ing the effects of other, unrelated, acts of discrimination.
E.g., International Bro. of Teamsters v. U.S., 431 U.S. 324,
356 (1977).
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by the opinions of the Courts below. For even if the legislative
choice to maintain Mobile's existing government were "motivated
in part by a racially discriminatory purpose", this choice should
have been upheld where the same decision "would have resulted"
from other legitimate governmental concerns. Village of Arlingtor
Helghts, supra, 42% U.S. at 271 n. 21. Neither the record nor
the opinions below disclose any basis for the Courts' implicit
and implausible assumption that Mobile's present form of govern-
ment would be different but for a putative racial animus. The
error below is palpable, as is its potential capacity to put in
jeopardy historically at-large electoral plans wherever there
exists a substantial minority population.
The 5th Circuit took the occasion of Mobile's appeal and
three companion case’ to rethink its approach to dilution
cases.tt/ The large number of dilution cases, the necessity to
resolve finally the application of the intent requirement of
Davis and Arlington Heights, and the effect of weighing choices
made by voters about their very form of government against the
effect and intent of the size of electoral districts, all make
this a case susceptible to review by this Court under 28 U.S.C.
$1254{1) or (2),
13/ Nevett v. Sides (Nevett II), slip op. 3373; Blacks United
v. Shreveport, slip op. 3419; and Thomasville Branch,
N.A.A.C.P. v. Thomas County, slip op. 3431 {all March 29,
1978).
l4/ The Court recognized the difficulty of District Courts in
fe administering this area of constitutional law with imper-
fect appellate guidance, Nevett II, slip op. 3373, 3391
(addressing " . language in several opinions of this cir-
cuit that has caused some apparent confusion in this changing
and complex area of the law. . .").
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In sum, the ultimate outcome of this action is of vital
importance not only to the City, but to every local government
with the need or traditional preference for at-large elections.
The constitutional issues here presented are substantial and im-
portant, and of precisely the nature which frequently moves the
Supreme Court to grant review.
Respectfully submitted,
Cops 4 LEN
C. B. Arendall,6 Jr.
Williams C. Tidwell,
Travis M. Bedsole, 4
Post Office Box 123
Mobile, Alabama 36601
Fred G. Collins
City Attorney
City Hall
Mobile, Alabama 36602
Charles S. Rhyne
William S. Rhyne
Donald A. Carr
Martin W. Matzen
1000 Connecticut Avenue, N. W.
Suite 800
Washington, D.. CC. 20036
Attorneys for Petitioners
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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I certify that a copy of the foregoing Application for Stay
and Recall of Mandate and Memorandum in support thereof have
been served upon opposing counsel of record, and upon Amicus,
by placing the same properly addressed in the United States Mail
with adequate postage affixed thereto this ny day of May, 1978.
20.8 ¢
Attorney for Petiti