Court Opinion

ID: 9702185
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 22:58:45.587222+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:21:34.636614
License: Public Domain

FOX, Chief District Judge,
dissenting.
It appears that this case may be appropriate for a three-judge district court under 28 U.S.C. Secs. 2281 and 2284. At the time when the events giving rise to this suit occurred, the plaintiffs and defendants were involved in a serious employment dispute. All parties concede that they were subject to the Michigan Public Employees Relations Act, M.C.L. A. Sec. 423.201 et seq. and more particularly, Section 6 of that Act, M.C.L.A. Sec. 423.206, although it is not clear precisely how the Act applies to this case. This Act plainly embodies a state policy as to the handling of strikes by public employees. The plaintiffs have sought injunctive and other relief on the grounds that the actions of the defendants were unconstitutional. If the court concludes that the actions of the defendants were unconstitutional, and grants injunctive relief, the court may be acting within the scope of 28 U.S.C. Sec. 2281. See School District for the City of Holland v. Holland Education Association, 380 Mich. 314, 157 N.W.2d 206, 210 (1968); Calloway v. Briggs, 443 F. 2d 296 (6th Cir. 1971).
However, the matter is not in the least free from doubt. In such circumstances, considerations of judicial economy and fairness to the parties suggest that three judges hear the case and arrive at a conclusion after hearing all the evidence and arguments. In order to avoid the possibility of a rehearing in the event of error, the district judge before whom the case would be tried if a three-judge court were not required usually adopts the opinion and order of the three-judge court as his own. In unusual circumstances, the possibility of rehearing might be avoided by declaring the suit to be a non-statutory three-judge ease.
With these considerations in mind, the original three-judge panel decided, after hearing argument on the motion for a three-judge court, that the case should proceed as a three-judge court. Final decision on the three-judge court issue was to be deferred until after a hearing on the merits. Because of the real possibility that a three-judge panel is required in this case, I would adhere to the original decision.