1 Cal. 4th 707 - Wilson v. Eu’s Empirical Analysis
1992
Citation profile
4 federal appellate · 43 state decisions
How this case has been cited
Cited by 75 later decisions — most recently March 2012 · most notably Benavidez v. Eu (1994), In Re Legislative Districting of the State (2002)
4 federal appellate · 43 state decisions — followed in 11 states
Later decisions citing this case, by decade. The current decade is in progress, and our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so the latest bars are undercounted — not a real decline.
Relationships
Applies 42 U.S.C. § 1971 (Civil Rights Act of 1957) · 42 U.S.C. § 1973 (§ 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965) · 42 U.S.C. § 1973C (§ 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965)
Relies on Regents of the University of California v. Bakke · Thornburg v. Gingles · City of Richmond v. J. A. Croson Co. · Wesberry v. Sanders · Fullilove v. Klutznick
Most-quoted passages
The sentences later courts lift from this opinion, ranked by how many decisions quote each — the parts of the opinion doing the work. These counts are smaller than the citation total above because most of the 75 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.
“The Report discusses at length the Masters’ close attention to the provisions of the Voting Rights Act, observing that in view of present uncertainties concerning the scope and intent of the act, the Masters “endeavored to draw boundaries that will withstand section 2 challenges under any foreseeable combination of factual circumstances and legal rulings.” Their efforts, in this regard, were in part stimulated by the need to provide new districts for the forthcoming June Primary Election. In that connection, the Secretary of State in a brief filed herein urged the Masters to give the Voting Rights Act “the highest possible consideration in order to minimize the risk of challenge and resulting delay.” Initially, the Masters attempted to reasonably accommodate the interests of every “functionally, geographically compact” minority group of sufficient voting strength to constitute a majority in a single-member district. As explained by the Masters, the functional aspect of geographical compactness takes into account the presence or absence of a sense of community made possible by open lines of access and communication. We approve the Masters’ use of such an approach in determining the compactness of a particular minority group for purposes of assuring its protection under the Voting Rights Act.”
1 later decision quote this exact passage“These four criteria all are addressed to the same goal, the creation of legislative districts that are effective, both for the represented and the representative. The constitutional requirement of “contiguity” is not an abstract or geometric technical phrase. It assumes meaning when seen in combination with concepts of “regional integrity” and “community of interest.” ---- “The territory included within a district should be contiguous and compact, taking into account the availability of transportation and communication.” In addition, “social and economic interests common to the population of an area [e.g.] an urban area, a rural area, an industrial area or an agricultural area” should be considered. ---- Compactness does not refer to geometric shapes but to the ability of citizens to relate to each other and their representatives and to the ability of representatives to relate effectively to their constituency. Further, it speaks to relationships that are facilitated by shared interests and by membership in a political community, including a county or city.”
1 later decision quote this exact passage“As the Report observes, population equality must be deemed the primary reapportionment criterion, being mandated by the provisions of the federal Constitution. Under the Masters’ plans, each legislative district will vary by less than 1 percent from “ideal” equality, while each congressional district will vary by less than 0.25 percent. We find these minor deviations are amply justified by “legitimate state objectives,” namely, the need to form reasonably compact districts, to use census tracts rather than blocks in forming districts, and to comply with the Voting Rights Act.”
1 later decision quote this exact passage
How this case has been treated — in progress
Whether each later court followed, distinguished, criticized, or overruled this decision. The treatment classification (task #35) runs highest-cited cases first and lights up here as it reaches this one.