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980 F.2d 691

Docket No. 91-5082.

Blackmun v. Wille

Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals · decided 1993-01-04

Cited by 2 later decisions — most recently August 2005

1 federal appellate ·

2 counsel of record

Relies on Rufo v. Inmates of Suffolk County Jail · Williams v. Butz

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Opinion by (per_curiam) · Decided 1993-01-04

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¶1James K. Green, Richard G. Lubin, Lubin & Gano, P.A., West Palm Beach, Fla., M. David Gelfand, Terry E. Allbritton, Appellate Advocacy Program, Dan Zimmerman, New Orleans, La., for plaintiffs-appellants.

¶2Ronald K. McRae, County Atty., Frank J. McKeown, Jr., McKeown, Gamot & Phipps, P.A., Larry Klein, Klein & Walsh, P.A., Randy D. Ellison, West Palm Beach, Fla., for defendants-appellees.

¶3Before TJOFLAT, Chief Judge, KRAVITCH, Circuit Judge, and SMITH *, Senior Circuit Judge.

¶5PER CURIAM:

¶6Appellant 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 *692that a significant change in circumstances warrants revision of the decree.” Id.at -, 112 S.Ct. at 760. The movant may satisfy this burden “by showing either a significant change in factual conditions or in law.” Id.Second, a district court “should consider whether the proposed modification is suitably tailored to the changed circumstance.” Id.

¶7Because Rufo substantially changed the relevant legal standards that district courts must employ in modifying consent decrees,1 and because the district court did not comply with Rufo’s two-part test, we vacate the district court's order and remand this case for further proceedings.

¶8VACATED and REMANDED for further proceedings.

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