Source: https://www.legalcrystal.com/case/103356/indiana-employment-sec-div-vs-burney
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 04:51:22+00:00

Document:
Appellant Indiana Employment Sec. Div.
We noted probable jurisdiction in this case, 406 U.S. 956, to review the judgment of a three-judge district court, holding that Indiana's system of administering unemployment insurance was in conflict with § 303(a)(1) of the Social Security Act, 4 Stat. 626, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 503(a)(1). [ Footnote 1 ] Before the three-judge court entered its injunction, Indiana's practice was to discontinue unemployment benefits upon a determination of ineligibility, that determination taking place without the benefit of a full hearing for the erstwhile beneficiary.
After several months of effort, however, the class representative in this litigation, Mrs. Burney, succeeded in obtaining a reversal of the initial determination of ineligibility. [ Footnote 2 ] She has now received full retroactive compensation.
of unemployment insurance, there are no named representatives of the class except Mrs. Burney, who has been paid. Cf. Bailey v. Patterson, 369 U. S. 31 , 369 U. S. 32 -33. Accordingly, the judgment is vacated and the case is remanded to the District Court to consider whether it has become moot.
Nor can I accept any suggestion that Mrs. Burney's attack upon appellants' failure to provide a pre-termination hearing may be moot merely because she has received a full post-termination hearing and settlement of her claim since entering this litigation. [ Footnote 2/3 ] A determination of mootness based on this line of reasoning would effectively bar the full and final litigation of whether a pre-termination hearing is legally required, while leaving Indiana free to continue to provide Mrs. Burney and other beneficiaries of unemployment insurance with only post-termination hearings.
Human Rights, 404 U. S. 403 , 404 U. S. 407 (1972); United States v. W. T. Grant Co., 345 U. S. 629 , 345 U. S. 632 (1953). Under such circumstances, appellants would be"'free to return to [their] old ways." Ibid. For a case to be moot, it must be "absolutely clear that the allegedly wrongful behavior could not reasonably be expected to recur." United States v. Concentrated Phosphate Export Assn., 393 U. S. 199 , 393 U. S. 203 (1968). In this case, appellants have hardly provided such assurance -- as is evident from the very fact that this appeal was taken from the adverse decision below.
In my view, then, this case remains viable as to both Mrs. Burney and the affected class. Accordingly, I see no need for the remand ordered by the Court. [ Footnote 2/6 ] On the merits, I would affirm the judgment of the District Court in light of our decision in Goldberg v. Kelly, 397 U. S. 254 (1970). See Torres v. New York Dept. of Labor, 405 U.S. 949 (1972) (statement of DOUGLAS, BRENNAN, and MARSHALL, JJ.).
At the same time Mrs. Burney sought to intervene, she requested a temporary restraining order reinstating her benefits. On May 7, 1971, the District Court issued such an order directing that Mrs. Burney's benefits be reinstated and not be again suspended "without a prior, due process hearing." In light of the chronology of events in this case, it appears that Mrs. Burney received only the regular post-termination hearing for which Indiana law provides. But even if the July 1 hearing was the product of the temporary restraining order, such compliance with the court order would not moot this case. See, e.g., Bakery Sales Drivers Local Union No. v. Wagshal, 333 U. S. 437 , 333 U. S. 442 (1948); Dakota County v. Glidden, 113 U. S. 222 , 113 U. S. 224 , (1885).
It particularly bears noting that, in California Dept. of Human Resources Development v. Java, supra, at 402 U. S. 123 -124, which involved a related pre-termination hearing claim, see n. 1, supra, the Court never even suggested that there was any problem of mootness, although both appellees had received full post-termination administrative hearings during the pendency of the litigation.
I can see the purpose of a remand to a district court for consideration of possible mootness where the Court identifies disputed factual issues the resolution of which affects the continuing viability of the particular claim. See, e.g., Johnson v. New York State Education Dept., ante, p. 409 U. S. 75 . But here the Court fails to identify any such factual issue. Indeed, there do not appear to be any factual issues in dispute as to the administrative development subsequent to Mrs. Burney's intervention in this suit. Under such circumstances, this Court is as competent as a district court to resolve initially the issue of mootness, and, in the past, it has proceeded to do so, see, e.g., SEC v. Medical Committee for Human Rights, 404 U. S. 403 (1972); United States v. Concentrated Phosphate Export Assn., 393 U. S. 199 , 393 U. S. 202 -204 (1968).

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