Jackson et al v. Board of Trustees of Wolf Point, Montana, School District No. 45-45A et al

Filing 77

ORDER ADOPTING FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS for 76 Findings and Recommendations, 70 Proposed Consent Decree filed by Ronald Jackson, Lawrence Wetsit, Ruth Jackson, Bill Whitehead, Patricia McGeshick, Lanette M. Clark, Robert Manning. Signed by Judge Brian Morris on 4/9/2014. (SLL, )

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF MONTANA
GREAT FALLS DIVISION
RONALD JACKSON, et al.,

CV-13-65-GF-BMM-RKS

Plaintiffs,
ORDER ADOPTING FINDINGS
AND RECOMMENDATIONS

vs.
THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF
WOLF POINT, MONTANA,
SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 45-45A,
et al.,
Defendants.

The Court referred this case to United States Magistrate Judge Keith Strong.
Judge Strong entered findings and recommendations on March 14, 2014, to adopt a
jointly-filed proposed consent decree. Doc. 76.
Plaintiffs alleged that voter districts in the Wolf Point School District were
malapportioned in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the United States
Constitution’s Fourteenth Amendment.

The parties reached an agreement

regarding how to remedy the malapportionment and jointly filed a proposed
consent decree on March 13, 2014. Doc. 70. Judge Strong recommended that the
Court adopt the proposed consent decree in full. Doc. 76.

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Neither party objected to Judge Strong’s findings and recommendations.
Therefore, this Court reviews Judge Strong’s findings and recommendations for
clear error. McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Commodore Bus. Mach, Inc., 656 F.2d
1309, 1313 (9th Cir. 1981). Clear error is present only if the Court is left with a
“definite and firm conviction that a mistake has been committed.” Silva v.
Woodford, 279 F.3d 825, 835 (9th Cir. 2002).
This Court finds no clear error in Judge Strong’s Findings and
Recommendations, Doc. 76, and adopts them in full.
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Judge Strong’s findings and
recommendations, Doc. 76, are ADOPTED.
accordingly.
DATED this 9th day of April, 2014.

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Judgment shall be entered