Williams v. Brown

Background

This case was brought by Williams and others against Brown and others and reached the Supreme Court after review by the federal appeals court (Fifth Circuit). The record shows the case was argued, then reargued, and decided on April 22, 1980. The United States participated as a friend of the court urging that the lower-court result be upheld.

Reasoning

The Court issued an unsigned order that vacated the appeals court’s judgment and sent the case back for further proceedings. The stated reason is that the Supreme Court announced and relied on a separate decision today in City of Mobile v. Bolden, and this case needs to be reconsidered in light of that ruling. Justice Blackmun wrote separately to say that, if the Court had reached the main issues, he would have affirmed the appeals court’s judgment. Justice White dissented, pointing to his reasons given in the City of Mobile v. Bolden opinion.

Real world impact

This decision does not resolve the underlying dispute between the parties on the merits. Instead it tells the appeals court to reopen the case and reconsider it under the legal framework the Supreme Court announced in City of Mobile v. Bolden. The outcome for the people involved therefore remains uncertain until the lower court completes further proceedings.

Dissents or concurrances

The opinion notes concurring and dissenting views: Blackmun would have affirmed on the merits, and White dissented for the reasons he gave in the related City of Mobile v. Bolden opinion.