Opinion ID: 891859
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 15

Heading: Repeat of Dissent to Order Previously Entered

Text: {67} The Majority's decision that its order be filed immediately has allowed me time and opportunity to only generally address why I oppose the remand requiring Judge Hall to revamp the plan according to the rules laid down by the Majority. The immediacy has not allowed me time and opportunity to rebut the Majority's determinations on the merits of the issues as contained in the order. Based on the detail in the order deciding the merits of the issues, and the requirement that Judge Hall change the plan, I tend to doubt that any follow-up Majority opinion will be needed, and I tend to doubt that the extensive detailed work required for a dissent will be useful. {68} I respectfully oppose entry of the Majority's remand order. There exists no need to require Judge Hall to consider facts and law that he has already thoroughly considered. There exists no need for reconsideration of how Judge Hall applied the law of population deviation when it is clear that he understood the law and did not misapply it. Nor is there a need to remand for Judge Hall to reconsider facts (implying, it seems, to also change his mind) relating to any alleged Fourteenth Amendment or Voting Rights Act violation or relating to secondary factors such as communities of interest. {69} Of course, this Court is not to rubber stamp Judge Hall's work and plan. At the same time, however, it is important to note that the Supreme Court's appointment of Judge Hall was purposeful and an excellent choice. Judge Hall was a highly respected judge for his fairness, good judgment, principled and rational decisions, seasoned analytic ability, and his ability to grasp complex issues. In his known judicial capacity, Judge Hall did not act arbitrarily. In these important circumstances, Judge Hall would not and did not, here, create a plan that he saw or felt or believed contained any partisan effect or bias that violated the Fourteenth Amendment. He would not have put forth a plan if the evidence supported a determination that the plan violated the Voting Rights Act. He would not have created a plan that would fail to withstand strict scrutiny. In his consideration of secondary factors, he would not have created a plan that, in his view, failed to protect communities of interest. {70} Reapportionment cases are known for their rampant partisanship, whether at the legislative level or in the court. The cases are complex. Population increase over ten years requires change. Redistricting is necessary. Expert map drawers, political scientists, and historians are involved. Witness testimony and documentary evidence fills volumes. The quest for the perfectly neutral reapportionment map devoid of partisan effect or bias is illusory. Parties and courts quote what they want from the United States Supreme Court and lower federal courts, as well as from state courts, for favorable language to support their positions. {71} The overriding goal is population equality and to serve the constitutional principle of one man-one vote. Once in court, the search involves pathways through various proposed plans offered by partisans. Those in power want to keep their seats and obtain more seats; those out of power want to keep their seats and obtain more seats. The court must give thoughtful consideration to the plans and listen to the arguments. First and foremost, the court sits in equity and tries to structure a plan within the constraints of the Fourteenth Amendment and the Voting Rights Act. {72} If, in drawing a plan, the court exceeds minimal population deviation, the court must justify the deviation based on legitimate state interests which appear to consist of traditional state redistricting policies and practices. Here, the court started with the clear constitutional mandate of minimum deviation from population equality. At some point, Judge Hall determined that he was required to substantially deviate from population equality with regard to Native American communities in order to satisfy the requirements of the Voting Rights Act. Judge Hall appropriately justified the deviation. See Thornburg v. Gingles, 478 U.S. 30, 50-51, 106 S.Ct. 2752, 92 L.Ed.2d 25 (1986) (explaining what proof is necessary for a court to find a violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act). {73} With respect to the population deviation that Judge Hall maintained at minimal levels, he had nothing to justify because that minimal deviation is what the law requires unless a deviation is necessary to satisfy legitimate state interests. Those attacking minimal deviation have the burden of advocating for a particular deviation and then justifying the deviation based on legitimate state interests. To the extent parties launched that attack, Judge Hall determined that the evidence presented was insufficient to require a deviation. To the extent that parties attacked Judge Hall's plan because it unfairly diluted Hispanic voting power, Judge Hall determined that the evidence presented was insufficient to support any claimed violation of the Fourteenth Amendment or the Voting Rights Act. Moreover, all of the plans split some communities of interest. Furthermore, communities of interest are defined in many different ways, they are what they are based on the eyes of the beholder, and are, for the most part, partisan driven. {74} The parties now attacking Judge Hall's plan submitted extensive requested findings of fact and conclusions of law stating the various reasons why their respective plans should be adopted by the court. Judge Hall did not adopt their requested findings, thereby effectively finding against those parties and the propriety of their plans. The parties have not attacked with the required specificity Judge Hall's findings of fact, among which are: that his plan includes thirty districts with Hispanic voting age population over 50%, maintaining the highest number of districts with a Hispanic voting age population over 50%; that incorporating the Native American plans caused the number of swing districts of 49-51% to increase from five to eight, and the number of majority Republican performance districts (over 50%) to reach 34; that his plan avoids splitting communities of interest (particularly the Native American communities of interest) to a reasonable degree; that he gave thoughtful consideration to all plans (plus amended, modified, and alternative), including the unenacted Legislative Plan; that he considered the totality of circumstances when considering whether the plan violated the Voting Rights Act. {75} The issues on which the Majority want to remand this case are intensely fact-based and fact-driven. This Court should not and has no need to (1) disregard the exceptional care Judge Hall took in determining whether the parties attacking the plan and advocating their own plans fulfilled their proof burdens and (2) draw a conclusion that, as a matter of law, those parties proved a Fourteenth Amendment or Voting Rights Act violation or that some secondary factor necessarily overrides the plan. {76} Nothing in this case shows that Judge Hall failed to consider all of the evidence presented. Nothing shows that he failed to give thoughtful consideration to everything offered by the parties. From the record and from his extensive findings of fact and conclusions of law, it is readily apparent that Judge Hall considered all of the evidence and gave thoughtful consideration to the presentations of the parties. {77} Judge Hall looked at the various plans, discussed his concerns about several of them, and made suggestions to parties about how they might improve the palatability of their plans by considering certain changes. Some made changes; others did not. This was the process Judge Hall chose instead of attempting to draw a virgin plan. In fact, to adopt aspects of plans proposed by the executive and legislative parties following extensive testimony and plan modifications indicates a process that considers the will of the people. [5] I do not agree with the Majority that Judge Hall's process was flawed because it did not satisfy a requirement of judicial neutrality or independence. {78} In my view, nothing in the Majority's cited case of Peterson v. Borst, 786 N.E.2d 668 (Ind.2003), which involved a City-County redistricting plan, requires remand. I see no basis on which to question Judge Hall's or the judiciary's neutrality and independence given the nature of the trial; the manner in which Judge Hall conducted the trial; the parties' full opportunity to present their witnesses, documents, and arguments; Judge Hall's detailed study of the various plans; and his interactions with the parties and recommended plan changes. Judge Hall handled this case in a manner free from any taint of arbitrariness or discrimination. See id. at 672 (quoting Connor v. Finch, 431 U.S. 407, 415, 97 S.Ct. 1828, 52 L.Ed.2d 465 (1977)). {79} Ultimately, based on how he viewed all of the various plans and any modifications made, and based on how he evaluated the credibility of the witnesses, the models, the various analyses, and the reasonableness of testimony and counsel's arguments, Judge Hall thought that the Executive Plan, as modified, was a fair, reasonable, and appropriate plan. {80} All plans suffered from partisan effect. Will any plan be devoid of some partisan effect? The parties that contend that the plan must be overturned state the standard to be severe and significant partisan bias. There exists no evidence in this case that Judge Hall intended or adopted a plan that violated the Fourteenth Amendment because of severe or significant partisan bias. Nothing in the plan shows any egregiousness, and nothing in the evidence indicates that any attempt at neutrality (which, although not a word used in the Order, is what I believe the Majority actually requires) or, even as the Order indicates, less partisan effect, will relieve the challengers or the Majority of their view that any Republican advantage that results in seat gain from the status quo constitutes a partisan bias that violates the Fourteenth Amendment. Democrats keep their statewide majority under the plan. Several districts with Republican advantage are competitive. Judge Hall's plan was in no way driven by partisan bias. Nothing in the record indicates that Judge Hall's goal, much less overriding goal, was to effect partisan change. If the Majority wants Judge Hall to move things around to obtain less partisan effect, does that take us to some sort of status quo, and will the status quo violate population shifting requirements? The answer to the question of partisan bias can depend in part on tests or models used. Several were under consideration. Judge Hall was not required to apply any one of them in particular or to rely on them as the sole basis on which to decide whether the proof showed a partisan effect or bias that violated the Fourteenth Amendment. Furthermore, no evidence bound Judge Hall to find that there was actual harm or undue prejudice to Democrats, who continue to maintain a majority of the seats in the House. {81} There exists no basis on which to learn more from Judge Hall on any issue. Nothing in the record shows that Judge Hall abused his discretion in any respect. He did not misapprehend or misconstrue the law. He was in no way arbitrary. He does not need to provide further explanation about his determinations. Nothing proves that the plan will create serious problems in the future. This matter is not in need of remand. Judge Hall's plan is an appropriate stopping place. The election process needs to go forward now, without a delay of reconsideration or instruction essentially requiring Judge Hall to reduce Republican seats, without the delay of a 706 expert already shown through his testimony to have opinions about issues in the case, and without a delay involving the required opportunity to comment on any new plan or any changes. The stopping point of Judge Hall's plan is eminently more wise and fair than the stopping point of the next, reconstituted plan, with no fair opportunity to follow allowing the party opposing the plan to obtain relief in this Court.