Case Name: Carolyn MAULDIN, Stacy Spearman, David Mitchell, James Clay Hays, Jr., and Mississippi Republican Executive Committee v. Beatrice BRANCH, Rims Barber, L.C. Dorsey, David Rule, Melvin Horton, James Woodard, Joseph P. Hudson and Robert Norvel
Court: Mississippi Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Mississippi
Decision Date: 2003-12-18
Citations: 866 So. 2d 429
Docket Number: No. 2002-CA-00146-SCT
Parties: Carolyn MAULDIN, Stacy Spearman, David Mitchell, James Clay Hays, Jr., and Mississippi Republican Executive Committee v. Beatrice BRANCH, Rims Barber, L.C. Dorsey, David Rule, Melvin Horton, James Woodard, Joseph P. Hudson and Robert Norvel.
Judges: PITTMAN, C.J., SMITH, P.J., COBB AND CARLSON, JJ., CONCUR. EASLEY,-J., CONCURS IN RESULT ONLY. GRAVES, J., DISSENTS WITHOUT■ SEPARATE WRITTEN OPINION. McRAE, P.J., DISSENTS WITH SEPARATE WRITTEN OPINION. DIAZ, J., NOT PARTICIPATING.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 866
Pages: 429–446

Head Matter:
Carolyn MAULDIN, Stacy Spearman, David Mitchell, James Clay Hays, Jr., and Mississippi Republican Executive Committee v. Beatrice BRANCH, Rims Barber, L.C. Dorsey, David Rule, Melvin Horton, James Woodard, Joseph P. Hudson and Robert Norvel.
No. 2002-CA-00146-SCT.
Supreme Court of Mississippi.
Dec. 18, 2003.
Rehearing Denied March 11, 2004.
See also 538 U.S. 254, 123 S.Ct. 1429, 1437, 155 L.Ed.2d 407.
Michael B. Wallace, Christopher Royce Shaw, Jackson, Arthur F. Jernigan, Jr., Richard F. Scruggs, Pascagoula, F. Keith Ball, Louisville, Tupelo, Grant M. Fox, Staci Bozant O’Neal, attorneys for appellants.
Robert B. McDuff, Jackson, Carlton W. Reeves, attorneys for appellees.

Opinion:
WALLER, Justice,
for the Court.
¶ 1. This appeal arises from a chancery-court's adoption of a congressional redistricting plan when the Legislature failed to perform its statutorily-mandated duty to do so. We find that the chancery court lacked jurisdiction over this case and that the only state governmental entity authorized to draw new congressional districts is the Legislature. Therefore, we reverse and render.
FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY
¶ 2. Pursuant to § 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, 42 U.S.C. § 1973c, Mississippi must obtain federal preclearance of new congressional redistricting plans from either the United States District Court for the District of Columbia or the United States Attorney General. In Mississippi, the State Legislature is responsible for submitting a new plan before the congressional candidate qualifying deadline. Miss.Code Ann. § 5-3-123 (Rev. 2002).
¶ 3. Following the 2000 decennial census, Mississippi's delegation to the United States House of Representatives was reduced from five to four representatives. However, the Legislature failed to act and left the old five-district plan in place.
¶4. Concerned about the Legislature's failure to act, on October 5, 2001, Beatrice Branch, Rims Barber, L.C. Dorsey, David Rule, Melvin Horton, James Woodard, Joseph P. Hudson and Robert Norvel ("Branch") filed for injunctive relief in the Chancery Court of the First Judicial District of Hinds County, Mississippi, against the State Board of Election Commissioners, alleging that it did not appear to be likely that the Legislative Standing Joint Congressional Redistricting Committee (SJCRC) would submit a new redistricting plan and requesting the chancery court to adopt and implement a plan in time for § 5 preclearance and the candidate qualifying deadline of March 1, 2002. After the chancery court assumed jurisdiction, the SJCRC filed a motion to dismiss in which it alleged, inter alia, that the suit was not ripe as the Legislature retained "substantial time" to act either at a special session or at the regular session beginning on January 2, 2002, without any disruption or delay to the candidate qualifying or primary dates, or the general election in November of 2002. On November 19, 2001, the chancery court denied the motion to dismiss and urged the Legislature and the Governor to renew their efforts to enact and implement a congressional redistricting plan as soon as possible. The Mississippi Democratic Executive Committee and the Mississippi Republican Executive Committee were joined as indispensable parties. Carolyn Mauldin, Stacy Spear-man, David Mitchell and James Clay Hays, Jr. ("Mauldin"), were joined as party de fendants after they filed a motion to intervene.
¶ 5. Meanwhile, suit was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi for an injunction to stay the state court action. This complaint alleged that Mississippi's then-existing five-member district plan could not be enforced under federal law and that any plan subsequently adopted by state authorities, including the chancery court, could not be enforced until precleared under § 5. The three-judge district court convened to hear the federal lawsuit deferred ruling on the request for an injunction on December 5, 2001, so that state authorities would have a continued opportunity to redistrict. The three-judge court ruled, "[I]f it is not clear . by January 7, 2002, that the State authorities can have a redistricting plan in place by March 1," it would assert jurisdiction, proceed to rule on the injunction motion, and, if necessary, draft and implement its own reapportionment plan. Smith v. Clark, 189 F.Supp.2d 502, 503 (S.D.Miss.2001) (three-judge court).
¶ 6. In mid-December, the SJCRC filed for writs of prohibition and mandamus in this Court alleging that the chancery court lacked jurisdiction. Finding that the chancery court had jurisdiction, we denied the petitions and stated, "Any congressional redistricting plan adopted by the chancery court . will remain in effect, subject to any congressionál redistricting plan which may be timely adopted by the Legislature." In re Mauldin, No.2001-M-01891 (Miss. Dec. 31, 2001).
¶ 7. Later in December, the chancery court conducted a trial in which 11 proposed redistricting plans were submitted into evidence. The chancery court adopted the submitted plan called "Branch Plan 2A," holding that the plan constituted the best compromise between the separate plans adopted by the Mississippi House of Representatives and Senate and that it best provided parity and competition between the supporters of the two incumbents whose districts were affected by the mandatory redistricting. Branch Plan 2A was submitted to the United States Attorney General for § 5 preclearance on December 26, 2001.
¶ 8. In February of 2002, the three-judge court announced that it had drawn a redistricting plan and that it intended to implement this plan absent timely pre-clearance of the chancery court plan. Smith v. Clark, 189 F.Supp.2d 512 (S.D.Miss.2002) (three-judge court). The three-judge court ordered:
that the [State of Mississippi] shall use the congressional redistricting plan adopted by this court ., in all succeeding congressional primary and general elections for the State of Mississippi thereafter, until the State of Mississippi produces a constitutional congressional redistricting plan that is precleared in accordance with the procedures in Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Smith v. Clark, 189 F.Supp.2d 548, 559 (S.D.Miss.2002) (three-judge court), aff'd sub. nom. Branch v. Smith, 538 U.S. 254, 123 S.Ct. 1429, 155 L.Ed.2d 407 (2003).
¶ 9. On February 14, the United States Attorney General notified the Mississippi Attorney General that "the Department is not formally seeking additional information regarding the redistricting plan," but that it needed more information about this Court's order in In re Mauldin. The Department of Justice asserted that when it received the requested information a new 60-day period for its § 5 review would begin. It expressed concern about reviewing the plan in the absence of a decision from this Court regarding the chancery court's jurisdiction.
¶ 10. The three-judge court subsequently enjoined the chancery court plan on the ground that this Court's assertion of chancery jurisdiction in In re Mauldin constituted a change in election law requiring § 5 preclearance — which had not been granted. Smith v. Clark, 189 F.Supp.2d 503, 508 (S.D.Miss.2002) (three-judge court). Alternatively, the federal district court held that the assertion of state court jurisdiction violated Article I, § 4 of the United States Constitution, reasoning congressional redistricting is a legislative function and that, without an express delegation of power, state courts cannot adopt a remedial redistricting plan if the legislature defaults. Smith v. Clark, 189 F.Supp.2d at 558. In late February, the district court ordered implementation of its own plan, and the 2002 congressional elections were held accordingly. Id. at 559.
¶ 11. The United States Supreme Court affirmed the federal injunction strictly due to the fact that the chancery court plan had not been precleared. Branch v. Smith, 538 U.S. 254, 123 S.Ct. 1429, 1437, 155 L.Ed.2d 407 (2003). It did not address the issue of whether the chancery court's assumption of jurisdiction was constitutional. Id. Finally, the Supreme Court stated that its ruling was not "binding upon state and federal officials should Mississippi seek in the future to administer a redistricting plan adopted by the Chancery Court." Id.
¶ 12. Mauldin has appealed the issues of the chancery court's assumption of jurisdiction and its adoption of the Branch Plan 2A. Branch defends the chancery court's judgment, while the State Board of Election Commissioners did not file a brief in this appeal.
DISCUSSION
I. STATUTORY AUTHORITY TO DRAW CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS.
¶ 13. Our statutes clearly provide that the only governmental entity in this state that is authorized to draw congressional districts is the Legislature. See Miss.Code Ann. § 5-3-123 (Rev.2002). That power is not granted to any other governmental entity by the Mississippi Constitution, statutes, or case law.
¶ 14. The power to assist the Legislature with "professional, technical and other expertise" in redistricting is given to "all political subdivisions, state agencies, and all other creatures of the state of Mississippi." Miss.Code Ann. § 5-3-127 (Rev. 2002). Because the state courts are not mentioned specifically in either § 5-3-123 or § 5-3-127, they must necessarily fall under the category of "all other creatures of the state of Mississippi." Therefore, state courts are only authorized to assist in redistricting, not to engage in the act of redistricting. The chancery court was clearly erroneous in assuming jurisdiction of this matter in which the parties requested the court to engage in redistricting.
¶ 15. Our case law clearly states that chancery courts lack jurisdiction to adjudicate disputes over congressional redistricting. In re McMillin, 642 So.2d 1336, 1339 (Miss.1994) ("Chancery Courts in this state do not have jurisdiction to enjoin elections or to otherwise interfere with political and electoral matters which are not within the traditional reach of equity jurisdiction."); Brumfield v. Brock, 169 Miss. 784, 142 So. 745, 746 (1932) ("By a long line of decisions this court has held that courts df equity deal alone with civil and property' rights and not with political rights.").
¶ 16. This ruling is supported by the United States District Court's finding as follows:
This predicate conclusion raises the next question that we must resolve: whether any enactment of the Mississippi legislature grants to the chancery court the power to redistrict the State of Mississippi for congressional elections. We find no such statute. Furthermore, no case of the Mississippi Supreme Court has ever indicated there is such a statute. We thus come to the final conclusion that the redistricting plan for congressional elections in 2002 produced by the Hinds County Chancery Court "transgresses Article I, Section 4 of the United States Constitution, is therefore unconstitutional, and is consequently a nullity....
[Congressional redistricting must be done \vithin the perimeters of the legisT lative processes, whether the redistricting is done by the legislature itself or pursuant to the valid delegation of legislative power. We have found no cases that support a contrary conclusion.

[W]e can find no legislative act upon which to base the chancery court's authority to act in congressional redistriet-ing. While the Mississippi legislature has empowered other state bodies to redistrict a number of state electoral districts, it has not authorized any other state body, including the chancery court, to redistrict congressional districts.
Smith v. Clark, 189 F.Supp.2d at 550, 554, 556 (footnote omitted) (emphasis in original).
¶ 17. The United States District Court criticized this Court's summary order in In re Mauldin that the chancery court did have jurisdiction over this matter, stating, "The court did not provide any basis for its holding, did not refer to its earlier cases to the contrary, and did not point to any legislative authority that authorized the chancery court to act." Id. at 557 (footnote omitted). In light of our interpretation of statutory law and upon reconsideration of our previous ruling, we reverse that order and rule that no Mississippi court has jurisdiction to draw plans for congressional redistricting.
¶ 18. We therefore find that the Hinds County Chancery Court erred in assuming jurisdiction over this matter.
II. AT-LARGE ELECTIONS.
¶ 19. The State has a statutorily-mandated and federally-approved default procedure which comes into play when the Legislature fails to act. Even though an at-large election is an unpopular option, it is the law of this State.
¶ 20. The only way this Court may not apply a pertinent statute to a set of facts is to declare the statute unconstitutional. Moore v. Grillis, 205 Miss. 865, 888, 39 So.2d 505, 509 (1949) (Only the Legislature may decide whether a law is needed and advisable. The Court's duty is to "construe the law and apply it to the case presented and determine whether the Constitution of this State authorizes the legislation."). Or, put another way:
The duty of this Court is to interpret the statutes as written. It is not the duty of this Court to add language where we see fit. "[0]ur primary objective when construing statutes it to adopt that interpretation which will meet the true meaning of the Legislature." [Citations omitted.] "Our role is to determine the legislative intent and constitutionality of acts passed by the Legislature, and if we interpret a statute contrary to the intent or will of the Legislature, that body has the absolute authority to change the statute to suit its will."
Stockstill v. State, 854 So.2d 1017, 1022-23 (Miss.2003) (quoting Anderson v. Lambert, 494 So.2d 370, 372 (Miss.1986) & Board of Sup'rs of Lamar County v. Hattiesburg Coca-Cola Bottling Co., 448 So.2d 917, 927 (Miss.1984) (Hawkins, J., concurring in part & dissenting in part)).
¶ 21. "Legislative acts are . cloaked with a presumption of constitutionality, and unconstitutionality must appear beyond reasonable doubt." Estate of Smiley, 530 So.2d 18, 21-22 (Miss.1988) (citing Miss. Power Co. v. Goudy, 459 So.2d 257, 263 (Miss.1984)). A statute's validity is presumed:
We adhere here to the rule that one who assails a legislative enactment must overcome the strong presumption of validity and such assailant must prove his conclusions affirmatively, and clearly establish it beyond a reasonable doubt. All doubts must be resolved in favor of validity of a statute. If possible, a court should construe statutes so as to render them constitutional rather than unconstitutional if the statute under attack does not clearly and apparently conflict with organic law after first resolving all doubts in favor of validity.
Loden v. Miss. Pub. Serv. Comm'n, 279 So.2d 636, 640 (Miss.1973) (citations omitted).
¶ 22. The Court must presume that the Legislature "intended to comply with the organic law, and the statute should be given a reasonable interpretation which is consistent with that presumed intent and which would permit the upholding of the act." Berry v. Southern Pine Elec. Power Ass'n, 222 Miss. 260, 76 So.2d 212, 214 (1954) (quoting Willmut Gas & Oil Co. v. Covington County, 221 Miss. 613, 71 So.2d 184, 189 (1954)).
¶ 23. This Court cannot ignore the will of the people of this State as encapsulated in § 23-15-1039. To do so would undermine all enforcement of state law.
IV. FEDERAL INJUNCTION.
¶ 24. However, an at-large election cannot be held at present. Due to the Legislature's failure to act, the State is currently under a federal court injunction ordering that the State use the congressional districts drawn by the three-judge court. This injunction will remain in place until that court vacates it or the Legislature draws a redistricting plan which is then federally precleared under § 5. Therefore, at-large elections cannot be held until the injunction is vacated.
CONCLUSION
¶ 25. Mississippi too often defaults in meeting its responsibilities as a state. We wait for the federal government and .the federal courts to intervene for us and then we complain about the loss of our state's rights. And history has shown the federal government will intervene when the state fails to act to protect its citizens. In this case, we, as a Court, are confronted with a situation where our Legislature defaulted on its constitutional and statutory obligations to the citizens of the state and failed to protect our state's right to govern itself in the election of our congressional representatives. This default is nothing less than a declaration by the Legislature that Mississippi does not think it is necessary to exercise its authority as one of the fifty states to determine its own congressional districts. It denies our peoples' representatives of any influence over the makeup of our congressional representatives.
¶ 26. The slate is clean now, and the way is clear for our Legislature to reassert its authority to represent the people of this state in the adoption of the congressional districts to be used in the next election in 2004. Mississippi, and more specifically the Legislature, should seize this opportunity now to use its constitutional powers and rectify this problem- by appi'oving constitutionally acceptable election districts which reflect the voice of the state's elected legislators and then obtaining federal preclearance of those districts.
¶ 27. The chancery court's judgment is reversed, and this action is dismissed without prejudice for lack of jurisdiction.
¶ 28. REVERSED AND RENDERED.
PITTMAN, C.J., SMITH, P.J., COBB AND CARLSON, JJ., CONCUR. EASLEY,-J., CONCURS IN RESULT ONLY. GRAVES, J., DISSENTS WITHOUT SEPARATE WRITTEN OPINION. McRAE, P.J., DISSENTS WITH SEPARATE WRITTEN OPINION. DIAZ, J., NOT PARTICIPATING.
. "The members of the [Legislature's Standing Joint Congressional Redistricting Committee] shall draw a plan to redistrict, according to constitutional standards, the United States districts for the state of Mississippi no later than thirty (30) days preceding the convening of the next regular session of the legislature...." Miss.Code Ann. § 5-3-123 (Rev. 2002).
. Plaintiffs, appellees here, are individual registered voters of various Mississippi counties.
. The State Board of Election Commissioners consists of the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Governor. Miss.Code Ann. § 23-15-211 (Rev.2001).
. The Mauldin intervenors are all individual registered voters of various Mississippi counties.
. John Robert Smith, Shirley Hall and Gene Walker v. Eric Clark, Secretary of State of Mississippi; Mike Moore, Attorney General for the State of Mississippi; Ronnie Musgrove, Governor of Mississippi; Miss. Republican Executive Comm.; and Miss. Democratic Executive Comm., Civil Action No. 3:01-cv-855WS (S.D.Miss.).
. The ruling that the chancery court did not have jurisdiction does not offend Art. 6, § 147 of the Mississippi Constitution which provides:
No judgment or decree in any chancery or circuit court rendered in a civil cause shall be reversed or annulled on the ground of want of jurisdiction to render said judgment or decree, from any error or mistake as to whether the cause in which it was rendered was of equity or common-law jurisdiction; .
We find that no state court has jurisdiction to draw plans for congressional redistricting; therefore jurisdiction does not properly lie in the circuit court.
. Miss.Code Ann. § 23-15-1039 (Rev.2001) provides for at-large elections when the Legislature fails in its duty to provide new congressional districts.
. "[The State of Mississippi] shall use the congressional redistrict plan adopted by this court ., in all succeeding congressional primary and general elections for the State of Mississippi thereafter, until the State of Mississippi produces a constitutional congressional redistricting plan that is precleared in accordance with the procedures in Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965." Smith v. Clark, 189 F.Supp.2d at 559.