CASE SUMMARY
On March 7, 2014, a Sumter County resident filed a federal lawsuit against the County’s Board of Elections and Registration challenging the County School Board’s new election method, with five members elected from single-member districts and two elected at-large, as diluting Black voters’ voting strength in violation of § 2 of the Voting Rights Act (“VRA”). Plaintiff sought a court order requiring the County School Board to be restored to its prior nine-member, single-district election method and implementing a new redistricting plan as well as an injunction barring the County from holding the 2014 elections until a new method was implemented.
- On July 14, 2015, the federal district court granted summary judgment for the County, finding plaintiff failed to show white voters consistently vote as a bloc so as to usually defeat the minority voters’ preferred candidate. Plaintiff appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
- On July 28, 2016, the Eleventh Circuit reversed and remanded the case back to the district court, citing improper credibility determinations as to expert witnesses during the summary judgment phase.
- On March 17, 2018, the district court held the School Board’s election method violated § 2 and ordered the County to devise a remedial plan.
- On August 17, 2018, the district court enjoined the defendants from holding their 2018 School Board elections since there wasn’t time for the court to issue a new interim map before election day.
- On September 23, 2019, the district court appointed a special master to create a remedial plan and on January 29, 2020, the court adopted the special master’s plan. Defendant appealed both decisions to the Eleventh Circuit.
- On October 27, 2020, the Eleventh Circuit affirmed the district court’s decisions.
CASE LIBRARY
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, Albany Division - No. 1:14-cv-42
- Complaint & Injunction to Stop March 18, 2014 and May 20, 2014 Sumter County School Elections - 3/7/14
- Defendant's Master Exhibit List Regarding Preliminary Injunction Hearing - 3/14/14
- Order - 3/17/14
- Answer to Plaintiff's Injunction - 3/28/14
- Order Denying Plaintiff's Motion for Preliminary Injunction - 4/3/14
- Plaintiff's First Request for Judicial Notice - 10/14/14
- Deposition of Mathis Kearse Wright, Jr. - 11/13/14
- Deposition of Frederick Glenn McBride - 11/14/14
- Deposition of Karen Owen - 11/20/14
- Sumter County Board of Elections and Registration's Motion for Summary Judgment - 1/12/15
- Sumter County Board of Elections and Registration's Motion to Exclude Portion of Plaintiff's Expert Report and Testimony - 1/12/15
- Plaintiff's Brief in Response to Defendant's Motion to Exclude Portion of Plaintiff's Expert Report and Testimony - 1/30/15
- Plaintiff's Brief in Response to Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment - 2/2/15
- Sumter County Board of Elections and Registration's Reply in Support of Motion to Exclude Portion of Plaintiff's Expert Report and Testimony - 2/13/15
- Sumter County Board of Elections and Registration's Reply in Support of Motion for Summary Judgment - 2/17/15
- Plaintiff's Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment - 3/13/15
- Emergency Motion to Strike Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment and to Stay the Time for Defendant to Respond to Plaintiff's Motion - 3/18/15
- Order - 3/20/15
- Plaintiff's Brief in Response to Defendant's Motion to Strike - 3/25/15
- Plaintiff's Response to Defendant's Numbered Material Facts and Statement of Material Facts to Which There Exists a Genuine Dispute to be Tried - 3/25/15
- Reply in Support of Motion to Strike - 3/26/15
- Order - 7/14/15
- Order Granting Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment - 7/14/15
- Judgment - 7/14/15
- Notice of Appeal - 8/11/15
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit - No. 15-13628
- Brief on Behalf of Appellant - 10/19/15
- Brief of Amici Curiae the Georgia NAACP and the Campaign Legal Center - 10/26/15
- Brief of Defendant/Appellee - 11/18/15
- Reply Brief on Behalf of Appellant - 12/2/15
- Opinion - 7/28/16
- Judgment - 7/28/16
- Mandate - 8/26/16
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, Albany Division - No. 1:14-cv-42
- Plaintiff's Motion to Exclude the Testimony of Dr. Karen L. Owen - 4/7/17
- Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment or, in the Alternative, for Partial Summary Judgment - 4/7/17
- Second Deposition of Frederick G. McBride - 4/28/17
- Notice of Defendant's Renewed Motion to Exclude Portion of Plaintiff's Expert Report and Testimony - 4/28/17
- Defendant's Response in Opposition to Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment or, in the Alternative, for Partial Summary Judgment - 4/28/17
- Defendant's Response in Opposition to Plaintiff's Motion to Exclude the Testimony of Dr. Karen L. Owen - 4/28/17
- Defendant's Motion to Renew Motion to Exclude Portion of Plaintiff's Expert Report and Testimony - 5/1/17
- Plaintiff's Emergency Motion to Strike the Defendant's Daubert Motion and to Stay the Time for the Plaintiff to Respond to the Defendant's Motion - 5/5/17
- Order - 5/8/17
- Defendant's Response in Opposition to Plaintiff's Motion to Strike the Defendant's Daubert Motion and to Stay the Time for the Plaintiff to Respond to the Defendant's Motion - 5/22/17
- Plaintiff's Reply to the Defendant's Response in Opposition to the Plaintiff's Emergency Motion to Strike - 5/26/17
- Order Denying Motion to Strike - 5/31/17
- Plaintiff's Reply to Defendant's Response in Opposition to Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment or, in the Alternative, for Partial Summary Judgment - 6/5/17
- Plaintiff's Reply to the Defendant's Response to the Plaintiff's Motion to Exclude the Testimony of Dr. Karen L. Owen - 6/5/17
- Defendant's Renewed Motion to Exclude Portion of Plaintiff's Expert Reports and Testimony - 6/14/17
- Plaintiff's Response to the Defendant's Motions to Exclude Portions of the Testimony of Dr. Frederick G. McBride - 7/5/17
- Motion for Judicial Notice of Census Data - 7/5/17
- Joint Status Report - 7/13/17
- Reply Brief in Further Support of Defendant's Renewed Motion to Exclude Portion of Plaintiff's Expert Reports and Testimony - 7/19/17
- Defendant's Response to Plaintiff's Motion for Judicial Notice of Census Data - 7/26/17
- Plaintiff's Deposition Designations - 10/5/17
- Defendant's Deposition Designations - 10/5/17
- Plaintiff's Objections to Defendant's Deposition Designations - 10/16/17
- Order - 10/26/17
- Consent Motion to Continue Pretrial Conference and Contested Motion to Continue Trial - 11/7/17
- Plaintiff's Response to the Defendant's Motion to Continue - 11/8/17
- Order - 11/9/17
- Order - 11/20/17
- Transcript of Pretrial Hearing - 11/21/17
- Plaintiff's Notice Regarding Daubert Briefing - 11/29/17
- Defendant's Notice Regarding Daubert Briefing - 11/29/17
- Plaintiff's Objections to Defendant's Exhibits - 12/6/17
- Plaintiff's Brief on Remedial Procedure - 12/6/17
- Defendant's Notice Regarding Objections to Plaintiff's Exhibits and Procedure Regarding Implementation of Any Remedy - 12/6/17
- Defendant's Amended Notice Regarding Objections to Plaintiff's Exhibits and Procedure Regarding Implementation of Any Remedy - 12/7/17
- Stipulation - 12/13/17
- Bench Trial Transcript (Vol. I of IV) - 12/21/17
- Bench Trial Transcript (Vol. II of IV) - 12/21/17
- Bench Trial Transcript (Vol. III of IV) - 12/21/17
- Bench Trial Transcript (Vol. IV of IV) - 12/21/17
- Plaintiff's Closing Argument - 12/21/17
- Defendant's Closing Argument - 12/28/17
- Plaintiff's Rebuttal Argument - 1/4/18
- Defendant's Motion for Judicial Notice of Census Data - 1/10/18
- Plaintiff's Response in Opposition to the Defendant's Motion for Judicial Notice of Census Data - 1/11/18
- Plaintiff's Motion for Judicial Notice of Voter Registration Data - 1/11/18
- Defendant's Reply in Further Support of Motion for Judicial Notice of Census Data - 1/11/18
- Plaintiff's Supplemental Objections to Defendant's Exhibit 10 - 1/12/18
- Plaintiff's Proposed Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law - 1/12/18
- Defendant's Post-Trial Brief - 1/12/18
- Plaintiff's Post-Trial Brief - 1/12/18
- Defendant's Proposed Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law - 1/12/18
- Defendant's Response to Plaintiff's Supplemental Objections to Defendant's Exhibit 10 - 1/22/18
- Plaintiff's Remedial Proposals - 1/22/18
- Defendant's Response to Plaintiff's Remedial Proposals - 2/5/18
- Defendant's Notice Regarding Response to Plaintiff's Remedial Proposals - 2/8/18
- Plaintiff's Emergency Motion to Strike or, in the Alternative, for Leave to Conduct Limited Discovery - 2/9/18
- Order - 2/9/18
- Plaintiff's Reply to the Defendant's Response to the Plaintiff's Remedial Proposals - 2/14/18
- Plaintiff's Brief Regarding the May 2018 Election - 2/23/18
- Defendant's Response to Court's February 9 Order - 2/23/18
- Defendant's Opposition to Plaintiff's Emergency Motion to Strike or in the Alternative for Leave to Conduct Limited Discovery - 2/24/18
- Plaintiff's Reply to the Defendant's Response to the Plaintiff's Emergency Motion to Strike or, in the Alternative, for Leave to Conduct Limited Discovery - 2/27/18
- Motion to Quash Subpoena - 2/27/18
- Plaintiff's Response in Opposition to the Defendant's Motion to Quash - 2/27/18
- Order - 2/27/18
- Order - 3/1/18
- Plaintiff's Motion for a Preliminary Injunction - 3/7/18
- Plaintiff's Motion to Expedite - 3/7/18
- Defendant's Response to Motion for Expedited Briefing - 3/9/18
- Order - 3/9/18
- Plaintiff's Reply to the Defendant's Response to the Plaintiff's Motion to Expedite - 3/13/18
- Order - 3/15/18
- Order Denying Motion for Preliminary Injunction - 3/17/18
- Plaintiff's Supplemental Brief in Support of Remedial Proposals - 3/26/18
- Defendant's Supplemental Brief Regarding Remedial Proposals - 3/26/18
- Defendant's Status Report - 3/26/18
- Plaintiff's Emergency Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction - 3/30/18
- Defendant's Notice Regarding Briefing - 3/30/18
- Order - 3/30/18
- Defendant's Objections to Permanent Injunction - 4/6/18
- Order - 4/11/18
- Notice of Appeal - 4/11/18
- Order - 6/21/18
- Plaintiff's Motion for Reconsideration - 6/27/18
- Defendant's Opposition to Motion for Reconsideration - 7/11/18
- Order - 7/23/18
- Plaintiff's Emergency Motion for an Injunction Pending Appeal - 7/31/18
- Plaintiff's Motion to Expedite - 7/31/18
- Order Granting Motion to Expedite - 8/2/18
- Plaintiff's Response to Court Order - 8/3/18
- Defendant's Response to Order - 8/3/18
- Defendant's Response in Opposition to Motion for an Injunction Pending Appeal - 8/7/18
- Order - 8/8/18
- U.S. Court of Appeals Limited Remand Order - 8/9/18
- Plaintiff's Reply in Support of Emergency Motion for an Injunction Pending Appeal - 8/10/18
- Plaintiff's Response to Court Order - 8/13/18
- Defendant's Response to Court Order - 8/13/18
- Defendant's Notice Regarding November Election - 8/14/18
- Defendant's Supplemental Brief - 8/16/18
- Order - 8/17/18
- Order Granting Motion for an Injunction - 8/20/18
- Defendant's Notice of Appeal Regarding Injunction - 8/21/18
- Plaintiff's Motion to Re-Open the Record - 11/27/18
- Defendant's Response in Opposition to Motion to Re-Open the Record - 12/18/18
- Plaintiff's Reply in Support of His Motion to Re-Open the Record - 1/2/19
- Order - 3/28/19
- Plaintiff's Request for a Telephonic Status Conference - 5/21/19
- Joint Filing Regarding Remedial Procedures - 6/20/19
- Plaintiff's Supplemental Brief on Remedial Proposals - 7/17/19
- Joint Filing Regarding Special Master Candidates - 7/24/19
- Defendant's Reply to Plaintiff's Supplemental Remedial Brief - 8/1/19
- Order Identifying Special Master - 8/14/19
- Declaration of Bernard Grofman - 8/26/19
- Plaintiff's Response to Court Order - 9/9/19
- Defendant's Response to Order and Request for Reconsideration of Remedial Timing - 9/10/19
- Plaintiff's Response to Court Order - 9/18/19
- Order Appointing Special Master - 9/23/19
- Report of the Special Master - 11/22/19
- Defendant's Statement of Position on the Special Master's Proposals - 11/29/19
- Plaintiff's Objections to the Special Master's Report - 11/29/19
- Defendant's Response Statement of Position on the Special Master's Proposals - 12/6/19
- Plaintiff's Response to the Defendant's Objections to the Special Master's Report - 12/6/19
- Order - 12/19/19
- Order Adopting Special Master's Proposed Map 3 and Other Remedial Measures - 1/29/20
- Judgment - 1/29/20
- Notice of Appeal - 1/30/20
- Amended Judgment - 1/31/20
- Amended Notice of Appeal - 2/5/20
- Plaintiff's Motion for Reconsideration - 2/11/20
- Order - 2/14/20
- Order Requesting Corrected Map - 2/14/20
- Plaintiff's Response to Court Order - 2/20/20
- Proposed Revised Map 3 - 2/21/20
- Defendant's Response to Order and Motion to Amend the Judgment - 2/25/20
- Order Granting Plaintiff's Motion for Reconsideration - 4/8/20
- Second Amended Notice of Appeal - 4/9/20
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit - No. 18-11510 [consolidated with Nos. 18-13510 & 20-10394]
- Motion to Expedite Appeal - 4/13/18
- Response in Opposition to the Defendant-Appellant's Motion to Expedite Appeal and Motion to Dismiss - 4/18/18
- Reply in Further Support of Motion to Expedite Appeal and Opposition to Motion to Dismiss - 4/20/18
- Reply in Support of Motion to Dismiss - 4/26/18
- Order - 5/4/18
- Order - 5/9/18
- Brief of Defendant-Appellant Sumter County Board of Elections and Registration - 5/22/18
- Renewed Motion to Dismiss - 6/22/18
- Motion for an Abeyance - 6/25/18
- Opposition to Renewed Motion to Dismiss - 6/29/18
- Order - 7/2/18
- Reply in Support of Renewed Motion to Dismiss - 7/5/18
- Notice of Filing - 8/2/18
- Order of Limited Remand - 8/9/18
- Emergency Motion to Vacate or Stay Injunction Pending Appeal - 8/20/18
- Jurisdictional Question Order - 8/21/18
- Renewed Emergency Motion to Vacate or Stay Injunction Pending Appeal and to Consolidate - 8/21/18
- Plaintiff-Appellee's Response in Opposition to the Defendant-Appellant's Emergency Motion to Vacate or Stay Injunction Pending Appeal - 8/22/18
- Reply Brief in Support of Emergency Motion to Vacate or Stay Injunction Pending Appeal - 8/22/18
- Plaintiff-Appellee's Response to Jurisdictional Question - 8/23/18
- Order Denying Stay and Granting Motion to Consolidate - 8/24/18
- Brief of Defendant-Appellant Sumter County Board of Elections and Registration - 11/26/18
- Plaintiff-Appellee's Motion for a Limited Remand or, in the Alternative, to Strike Portions of the Appellant's Brief that Rely on Evidence Outside of the Record - 11/28/18
- Response in Opposition to Motions for a Limited Remand, To Strike, and To Stay Briefing Schedule - 12/6/18
- Plaintiff-Appellee's Reply in Support of Motions for a Limited Remand and to Stay the Briefing Schedule - 12/7/18
- Order - 12/26/18
- Order - 1/9/19
- Appellee's Brief - 2/1/19
- Reply Brief of Defendant-Appellant Sumter County Board of Elections and Registration - 2/22/19
- Plaintiff-Appellee's Motion for a Limited Remand - 4/26/19
- Opposition of Defendant-Appellant Sumter County Board of Elections and Registration to Plaintiff's Motion for Remand - 4/26/19
- Plaintiff-Appellee's Reply in Support of His Motion for a Limited Remand - 4/30/19
- Order Granting Limited Remand - 5/16/19
- Motion to Consolidate and Expedite and for Other Relief - 2/5/20
- Defendant-Appellant's Notice of Supplemental Authority - 2/5/20
- Plaintiff-Appellee's Response to Defendant-Appellant's Notice of Supplemental Authority - 2/12/20
- Appellee's Response to the Appellant's Motion for Consolidation and Other Relief - 2/18/20
- Reply Brief in Support of Motion to Consolidate and Expedite and for Other Relief - 2/24/20
- Time-Sensitive Renewed and Amended Motion to Consolidate and Expedite and for Other Relief - 4/9/20
- Appellee's Response to the Appellant's Time-Sensitive Renewed and Amended Motion to Consolidate and for Other Relief - 4/17/20
- Reply Brief in Support of Time-Sensitive Renewed and Amended Motion to Consolidate and Expedite and for Other Relief - 4/20/20
- Order Granting in Part and Denying in Part Motion to Consolidate and Expedite and for Other Relief - 4/30/20
- Appellee's Supplemental Brief - 5/21/20
- Appellant's Supplemental Brief - 6/1/20
- Opinion - 10/27/20
- Judgment - 10/27/20
- Mandate - 12/9/20