Legal Document

440 U.S. 625 99 Supreme Court Reporter 1379 59 United States Reports Lawyer’s Edition 2d Series KF101.8 U54 642 COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES et al., Petitioners,v.Van DAVIS al. Number 77-1553. Argued Dec. 5, 1978. Decided March 27, 1979. Syllabus Respondents, representing present and future black Mexican-American applicants to the Los Angeles County Fire Department, brought a class action against petitioners (Los County, Board of Supervisors Civil Service Commission), alleging, inter alia, that petitioners' hiring procedure whereby they proposed interview top 544 scorers (of whom 492 were white, 10 black, 33 Mexican-American) on 1972 written civil service examination in order fill temporary emergency manpower needs violated 42 Code KF62 § 1981. The District Court, 1973, held procedure, though not discriminatorily motivated, 1981 because had been validated as predictive job performance, accordingly court permanently enjoined all discrimination mandated good-faith affirmative-action efforts. Appeals affirmed. Held : controversy has become moot during pendency litigation. Pp. 631-634. (a) Jurisdiction, properly acquired, may abate if case becomes (1) there is no reasonable expectation alleged violation will recur, (2) interim relief or events have completely irrevocably eradicated effects violation. When both conditions are satisfied, neither party legally cognizable interest final determination underlying questions fact law. Pacific KF135 P2 631. (b) Here first condition met can be use an unvalidated for purposes contemplated 1972. firefighter shortage lack alternative means screening existing at time unique, longer present, unlikely recur because, since commencement litigation, instituted efficient nonrandom method increasing minority representation Department. 631-633. (c) second mootness compliance 1973 with Court's decree their over 50% new recruits from minorities cured any discriminatory proposal. 633-634. 566 Federal Reporter, 2nd 1334, vacated remanded. William KF105 F3 Stewart, Angeles, Cal., petitioners. Atlantic Thomas Hunt, respondents. Mr. Justice BRENNAN delivered opinion Court. 1 Central California determined practices respecting Department 1981.1 unreported entered remedial order. Ninth Circuit affirmed part, reversed remanded further consideration. 1334 (1977). We granted certiorari consider presented whether arbitrary employment criteria, racially exclusionary operation, but purposefully discriminatory, violates and, so, imposition minimum quotas fully qualified appropriate remedy this case. 437 903, 98 3087, 57 1132 (1978). now find Accordingly, we vacate judgment direct modify its remand so dismiss action. 2 * In 1969, persons seeking required take physical-agility test. Applicants ranked according performance two tests selected interviews basis scores. Those who passed oral then placed hiring-eligibility list. Because blacks Hispanics did poorly examination, proved disparate impact hiring. 3 used ranking device 1969. county desisted, prior it felt test adverse hiring, feared might violate Title VII Rights Act 1964, 78 Statutes-at-Large 253, amended, 2000e seq., wished, event, increase See App. Brief Respondents. 4 1971, replaced 1969 applicants. A was designed expressly eliminate cultural bias. given graded pass-fail sole purpose out illiterates. Five hundred passing random tests. Passing solely results interview. F.2d, 1346 (Wallace, J., dissenting). 5 An conducted, pursuant plan, January Ninety-seven percent There challenged 6 After administration test, before selection could made, filed state charging random-selection process provisions charter regulations. using pending trial merits. ibid. 7 For came halt. eligibility list drawn exhausted. unable devise lacked resources examination. 8 As consequence unintended freeze, vacancies increased became critical. Finally, break logjam, Personnel those received scores Of number, Mexican-American. results, however, intended remaining expedite sufficient firefighters meet immediate urgent requirements But when representatives objected abandoned, uneffectuated, 9 respondents, Commission (petitioners). Respondents charged procedures also plan found acted without intent. Nonetheless, examinations least 20% another until percentage Mexican-Americans commensurate County.2 11 respect examination: respondents standing seek account plaintiff class, certified by consisted only applicants3 include way affected test.4 12 affirmed, holding proposal II 13 question case, then, concerns needs. 14 "Simply stated, issues 'live' parties outcome." Powell versus McCormack, 395 486, 496, 89 1944, 1951, 23 491 (1969). recognize that, general rule, "voluntary cessation allegedly illegal conduct does deprive tribunal power hear determine i. e., make moot." W. T. Grant Co., 345 629, 632, 73 894, 897, 97 L.Ed. 1303 (1953). jurisdiction, 15 said assurance "there . ." see id., 633, S.Ct., 897; SEC Medical Committee Human Rights, 404 403, 92 577, 30 560 (1972), 16 See, e. g., DeFunis Odegaard, 416 312, 94 1704, 40 164 (1974); Indiana Employment Security Div. Burney, 409 540, 93 883, 35 62 (1973). 17 satisfied 18 burden demonstrating "is heavy one." supra, U.S., 632-633, 897. Nevertheless, record. 19 Petitioners rank considered employing such succeeded instituting follows: 20 To each group 500 including highest scoring 300 whites, 100 blacks, Mexican-Americans. number interviewed several times actual vacancies. interviewers rate these his her merits regard race national origin. Thereafter hired score interviewer, again separate lists, used, same rating standards applied authorized give extra points applicant's origin, directed alert talented This resulted every year level which consistently, varying amounts, exceeded 50%. 21 suggestion parties, nor reason believe, would significantly alter injunction dissolved. Legal Defense Educational Fund, Inc., Amicus Curiae 7. fortiori, believe replace regarded unsatisfactory even Under circumstances aspect "lost character live kind must exist [the is] avoid advisory opinions abstract propositions law." Hall Beals, 396 45, 48, 90 200, 201-202, 24 214 22 five years Indeed, extremely doubtful, record, redress. remembered, never carried consequence, finding applicant excluded result Cf. Franks Bowman Transportation 424 747, 96 1251, 47 444 (1976).5 Nor prospective deterred applying application Teamsters States, 431 324, 365-367, 1843, 1869-1871, 52 reflected racial animus tainted other practices. Keyes School Dist. 1, Denver, Colo., 413 189, 2686, 37 548 On contrary found: "Neither Defendants officials engaged willful conscious excluding contrary, Defendants' efforts Department." 41. All circumstances, taken together, persuade us whatever trial, entry directing moot. Munsingwear, 340 36, 39, 71 104, 106, 95 36 (1950).6 25 So ordered. 26 STEWART, REHNQUIST joins, dissenting. 27 dealt three instances firemen: minimum-height requirement, establish priorities, threatened reliance administered ruled height requirement federal That ruling here. It concluded challenge results. Members agree. Thus, third claim remains 28 At some do They 1971 took Clearly, county's decision select interviews. If illegal, injury fact. reasons expressed POWELL, & N Immigration Nationality Decisions still alive. 29 cannot agree respondents' amended complaint 1964. included copies "right sue" letters Equal Opportunity Commission. applicable local governmental units decided end VII. decision. "Of course, continued threat part right up filing admittedly VII." 1341 n. 14. 31 POWELL concludes issue. While true text court's almost exclusively 1981, clearly apply violations analysis, made occurred while defendant covered VII, also. dissenting recognized, thus unnecessary discussion requires proof 1347. 32 claim,* render affect below under truly opinion. clear, applicants, justify extensive ordered "As equity nature determines scope remedy." Swann Charlotte-Mecklenburg Bd. Educ., 402 16, 91 1267, 1276, 554. simple enjoining seem complain. Therefore, directions narrow substantially. 34 THE CHIEF JUSTICE Today orders dismissal suit challenging predicated view disposition opposed petitioners, urged either briefs argument. apart this, misapplies settled principles mootness, think us. should reach, rather than questionable avoiding, important question—heretofore unresolved Court—whether cases like directly Fourteenth Amendment, require intent purpose. plaintiffs, here, unsuccessfully fireman jobs 1971; represented future, past, accused variety discriminate minorities, "written promotion device" "disproportionate detrimental impact" 4. named plaintiffs most recent tests, together actions described discriminatory,1 responsible substantially fewer being employed population served. imposed comprehensive based order.2 granting relief, apparently assumption attack acts members 1971. determination. past legality effect post-1971 therefore eligible exhausted sought employment. 1337-1338 majority panel nonetheless Id., 1343-1344. 38 review below. practice narrows considerably original dimensions, follow between exists. evident facts. 39 one except attempt screen thought reflect grading announced scores, 2,338 achieved score. 8, days after began, changed plans passed.3 11, 1973. complaint, April about filed, reinstitute unless issued, among engaged,4 dropped tie suit. 39. agreed "had plaintiffs." 1338 6. view, conduct. determining what proper standard liability "the district defendants' 1981." 1341. Turning ordered, approval Looking judicial "power 1981," 1342, exercised discretion ordering affirmative undertaken erase discrimination." 1343.5 41 addition requiring program achieve specified percentages "are restrained engaging discriminates origin Plaintiffs Action 45. correct, held, discriminated race, prevent carrying appropriate. wrongful yet transpired leave powerless wrong, likelihood harm sufficiently substantial. Doran Salem Inn, 422 922, 930-932, 2561, 2567-2568, 45 648 (1975); Steffel Thompson, 415 452, 458-460, 1209, 1215-1216, 505 Doe Bolton, 410 179, 188, 739, 201 Warth Seldin, 490, 499, 2197, 2205, 343 Linda R. S. Richard D., 614, 617, 1146, 1148, 536 (1973).6 holds moot, 1972," ante, 631-632. findings courts below, subject dismissed, manifestly odds record 43 Neither planned response characterizes "temporary firefighters." Ante, 632. assessing intention lawsuit change interviewing high considering everyone agreed, held: "[Petitioners'] decision, prompted lawsuit, abandon exam claim." 44 altered position testing Rather, strongly assert one. raised comes N.A.A.C.P. organization amicus curiae here participated previously attacked assertion factual assumptions rests: "The NAACP statements appear absolutely nowhere gratuitously advance novel theory compulsion quota contention irrelevant issue validity order, simply correct. amicus' itself describes states reduced down groups exact proportion 1-1-3 order." Reply 46 continue threshold barrier consideration, silent validation. comply added additional steps separately within group, proportions Among receive interview, preference members. product represent, states, voluntary program. county, upon pain contempt, applicants' hardly support expectation" once them dismissed. Our previous decisions clear redressing grievance obeyed. NLRB Raytheon 398 25, 1547, (1970); Pennsylvania Greyhound Lines, 303 261, 271, 58 571, 576, 82 831 (1938). (1953), relied today attempts distinguish, stated: 48 "Both sides proposition Trans-Missouri Freight Assn., 166 290 [17 1007] (1897); Walling Helmerich Payne, 323 [65 29] (1944); Hecht company Bowles, 321 [64 587, 88 754] (1944). remain Aluminum America, [2 Cir.,] 148 416, 448 (1945), dispute supra; Carpenters Union [Local 74 Brotherhood Carpenters, etc.,] Labor Board, [National Relations Board] 341 707, 715 [71 966, 970, 1309] (1951). free return old ways. This, public having settled, militates conclusion. [166 U.S.] [pages] 309, 310 547, 1007]. say entitled matter right, General Motors Corp., 179 221 (1950). rightly refused grant defendants powerful weapon law enforcement. 49 nevertheless demonstrate 'there wrong repeated.' told interlocks existed disclaimed revive them. Such profession suffice although factors appropriateness now-discontinued acts." 897 (footnotes omitted; emphasis supplied).7 50 my far less Petitioners, lower injunction, hotly remain. Furthermore, cease voluntarily resume primary criterion.8 Nor, light disclaimer—were made—satisfy "heavy burden" dismissed moot.9 51 avoidance leaves quandary. Although unreasonable assume, following base aptitude possible sort necessary ensure pertinent statement governing law, binding.10 litigation rights pre-1971 seems contemplate, 630 n.3, likely controlled court. sum, positions uncertainty: protection resumption discrimination, lacks conclusive considerations militate mootness. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation Natural Resources Council, 435 519, 535-537, n.14, 1197, 1207-1208, 55 460 conclude us.11 reach Protection Clause prohibits conduct.12 Revised 1977, provides: "All jurisdiction shall State Territory enforce contracts, sue, evidence, full equal benefit laws proceedings security property enjoyed white citizens, punishment, pains, penalties, taxes, licenses, exactions kind, other." Despite approximately double size population, identical accelerated due Department's 5'7" valid eliminating 41% otherwise 1337 relative quota. our grounds contend failure "mere oversight" vitiate decree. cross petition modification reversing oversight, FEA Algonquin SNG, 426 548, 2295, 2302, (1976). intimate seek, despite bring parties. Gibson Supercargoes Checkers, 543 1259, 1264 (CA9 1976). stipulated occur ranks firemen year, testimony established 187 Based evidence October 1338. Moreover, appears possibility terminated vacation Appeals' (1974). necessity "vacating deprives precedential O'Connor Donaldson, 563, 577-578, 12, 2486, 2495, (1975). L. Mechling Barge Lines 368 329-330, 337, 340-341, 317 (1961). bear sense relevant question: "Is effective entire fire department achieves current parity beyond when: "c. represent pre-March, 24, subsequent VII's date." (Emphasis added.) violation, nor, fact, all. addressed remedy. brief argue mere constitute pattern shown. urge absent showing Dothard Rawlinson, 433 321, 2720, 2723, 53 786; Hazelwood 299, 306 2736, 2741, 768. certiorari, address personnel nepotistic "word-of-mouth" recruitment, procedures, practices, disfavored correct discrimination. 4-5. overcome reputation constituted related discriminatory. entirely sustaining 1342-1344 addition, erroneous suggested offset standard. 1341-1342, 1343. question; legal generally work force equaled county. file annual reports stipulation signed incorrectly stated place face stipulation, date meant: scheduled 3, 1972, No contended According facts, 19.8% Mexican-American, 8.9% initially STEWART agrees argues He thinks rested doubt, affirmance sweeping cryptic offhand conclusion "[o]f course" "continued threat" VII," language quoted illustrates, grounded one-sentence reference divorced relationship purported granted. 1342-1344, believed into pre-Title spite themselves. independent occurred. rejected n.6; 1347 n.2 approves today. injuries adequate requirements, accorded Nyquist Mauclet, 432 n.7, 2120, 2124, 63 (1977); Arlington Heights Metropolitan Housing Dev. 429 252, 261-264, 555, 561-563, 450 Simon Eastern Kentucky Welfare Org., 26, 41-42, 1917, 1925-1926, (1976); 498-502, 2204-2207; 1148. East Texas Motor System, Incorporated Rodriguez, 395, 404, 1891, 1897, 453 observed Oregon Soc., 326, 333, 72 690, 696, 978 (1952), "[i]t duty beware defeat injunctive protestations repentance reform, especially abandonment timed anticipate suit, probability resumption." along city San Diego, involved testing. interest, amici declared: Cities Diego municipal corporations California. interests cities arise sector employers hire individuals merit. Pursuant merit principles, various promote classified service. "Thus, Amici maintaining programs fulfill system charters, well litigation." City Detroit Edison NLRB, O. 1978 77-968, Pages 2, 631, actions. relevance attempted device. suggest intervening factor, limit little chance validate relying unsubstantiated reverses presumption normally cases. Hampton Mow Sun Wong, 88, 98, 14, 1895, 1903, 495 (1976) (federal agency's regulation forbidding declaratory relief). instructive compare facts put contemplate changes. belief rests speculation. DeFunis, contrast, school admitted quarter rescind registration. Unlike bar, action; hence individual admissions stake. 317, 1706. virtually certain need submit admission he challenged, 318, Even very slight degree substantial four controversy. vacating necessarily prevents n.12, 2494, (1961); (1950), expressions merits, reversed, weight authority decided, viewed persuasive Circuit. indifference immaterial remand. n.5, supra. exercising "broad" equitable prophylactic single, isolated instance illegality unlawful rest amendment am agreement regardless construction arguably

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