United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburgh v. Carey
United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburgh v. Carey is a significant Supreme Court case that dealt with the complexities of electoral reapportionment and racial quotas. The case emerged from a New York state reapportionment plan that aimed to comply with the 1965 Voting Rights Act by incorporating racial quotas, which led to the division of a Hasidic Jewish community in Williamsburgh. The community contested this plan, arguing that it constituted reverse discrimination against them. However, the Supreme Court upheld the reapportionment scheme in a 7-1 decision, with Justice Byron R. White writing the majority opinion. The ruling underscored the legal acceptance of racial quotas in certain contexts, despite the dissenting opinion of Chief Justice Warren E. Burger, who opposed any form of racial quotas in this process. Notably, Justice Thurgood Marshall did not participate in the ruling. This case illustrates the ongoing tensions between community interests and federal mandates regarding voting rights and representation.
United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburgh v. Carey
Date: March 1, 1997
Citation: 430 U.S. 144
Issue: Reapportionment
Significance: The Supreme Court upheld a state reapportionment plan based on a strict racial quota.
Justice Byron R. White wrote the opinion for the 7-1 majority, upholding a New York state reapportionment scheme based explicitly on racial quotas. This scheme was required to obtain the U.S. attorney general’s approval under the 1965 Voting Rights Act, but it required splitting a Hasidic Jewish community, which sued, alleging essentially reverse discrimination. The Supreme Court rejected its claim. Justice Thurgood Marshall did not participate, and Chief Justice Warren E. Burger dissented strongly, rejecting any use of racial quotas in reapportionment.
