Cert granted in voting racial classification case

[Volokh, Eugene]

-----Original Message-----
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United States Supreme Court News                               03/22/99
Willamette Law Online    -    Willamette University College of Law
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On 03/22/99, the United States Supreme Court granted certiorari in the
two cases summarized below.
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CERTIORARI GRANTED
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Rice v. Cayetano
No. 98-818

Court below:  146 F.3d 1075 (9th Cir 06/22/98)

At issue in this elections case is whether the 14th and 15th Amendments
permit adoption of explicit racial classifications that restricts the
right to vote in statewide elections for state officials.  Hawaii holds
special elections for trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA),
in
which only those who meet the blood quantum requirement for "native
Hawaiians" and "Hawaiians" may vote.  OHA administers public trust funds
for the benefit of "native Hawaiians" and "Hawaiians."  The court below
held: (1) the voting restriction does not violate equal protection under
the 14th Amendment because the restriction meets the state's compelling
responsibility to honor the trust, it is precisely tailored, and no
race-neutral way exists to accord only those who have a legal interest
in
the trust management; and (2) the restriction does not violate the 15th
Amendment because it does not deny non-Hawaiians the right to vote "in
any
meaningful sense."
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United States Supreme Court News
Willamette Law Online    -    Willamette University College of Law
Editors: William Long (wlong at willamette.edu)
         Mandy Hexom (mhexom at willamette.edu)
Student Editorial Board: Elyssa Weber, Tom Bahrman, Mike Kouris
                         Joel Kuhl, David Veverka
http://www.willamette.edu/law/wlo
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