Blackmun v. Wille
Opinion of the Court
Appellant Jimmie Lee Blackmun challenges the district court’s modification of the consent decree entered into by a class of prisoners and appellee Wille. After we heard oral argument in this case, the Supreme Court decided Rufo v. Inmates of Suffolk County Jail, — U.S. -, 112 S.Ct. 748, 116 L.Ed.2d 867 (1992). Rufo creates a new two-part test by which to judge proposed modifications of consent decrees in institutional litigation. First, “a party seeking modification of a consent decree bears the burden of establishing
Because Rufo substantially changed the relevant legal standards that district courts must employ in modifying consent decrees,
VACATED and REMANDED for further proceedings.
. Rufo changes the applicable standard in this circuit. See, e.g., Williams v. Butz, 843 F.2d 1335, 1338 (11th Cir. 1988) C'[T]he job of a district court ... is to look at the particular facts and circumstances of the case to determine whether the modification satisfies the underlying purpose of the decree.”).
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Jimmy Lee BLACKMUN, Thomas D. Hiler, Michael Nelson and Allen Foxworth, Jr., individually and on Behalf of other inmates of the Palm Beach County Jail v. Richard WILLE
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published