AG19810921 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

RUFF, BOND, COBBi WADE & MCNAIR FROM: tlamlie L, Wade DATE: September 10, 1981 This is a progress report ol~ the above. The in,rial pre-trial bear- ing was conducted by Judge Dupree on Tuesday, September 1, in Raleigh. At that time he co.sidered our motion to limit the scope of the trial to the cormmon legal questions applicable to all counties and to the specific question of discrimination bY Mecklenburg County rather than all counties. It was ~epresented to the Court that a number of counties would like to be heard on the question of the level of assessment of pursonal property and that the trial time wonld therefore be exteeded beyond the two days allotted. Tbe o~tcome of the hearing was that the Court changed the tr{al date and extended the time for the counties to be prepared to prescott evidedce. Following is an overview of the situation to date: (1) The trial date is now set for October 13, 1981 beginni,g at 9:30 a.m. in the Federal Courthouse ~n Raleigh. (2) The trial will be limited to the ev{dence for and against Mecklenburg County, at which/ thne the Court will undoubtedly make some rulings on the qudstion of the applicability of the utility values (other than railroad values) in determining the overall level of assessment i~ each. county, aed likewise with respect to locally assessed persomal property, ql~e determi- cation of these questions by the Court will chart the involve- ment by the other counties. (3) The present disposition of the Court is to appoi~t a Special Master or a Magistrate to heal evidence with respect to the ce- maining cnunties which have indicated a desire to testify on the level of assessment of personal property. This plan could change, depending on the outcome of the October 13 trial. - OVER - []