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Black Unity League v. Miller

394 U.S. 100 Court SCOTUS Decision date 1969-03-03 Docket No. 892 English

Judges Mr. Justice Douglas dissents.

Delivered by Per Curiam.

Contents

Majority

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BLACK UNITY LEAGUE OF KENTUCKY et al. v. MILLER et al.
No. 892.
Decided March 3, 1969.
William M. Kunstler, Arthur Kinoy, Robert Allen Sedler, and Morton Stavis for appellants.
W. Scott Miller, Jr., pro se, and for other appellees.

Appellant organizations brought this suit for injunc-tive and declaratory relief against investigations which appellees, members of the Kentucky Un-American Activities Committee, were allegedly threatening to conduct. They contended that the investigations and accompanying contempt prosecutions would violate various rights, primarily those under the First and Fourteenth Amendments. They did not allege that any of their officers or members had been called as witnesses, or that any subpoenas had been issued, or that any criminal prosecutions had been begun. The allegations of harassment were entirely conclusory. Appellees moved to dismiss, and appellants failed to respond, as was required by local court rules. These rules also stated that “[fjailure to respond may be good grounds for sustaining the motion.” D. C. W. D. Ky. Rule 5 (a). We hold that in this pro

p. 101
cedural context the trial court could take appellants’ conclusory allegations as insubstantial and could dismiss the complaint for failure to allege sufficient irreparable injury to justify federal intervention at this early stage. For this reason, the motion to affirm is granted and the judgment is affirmed.

Mr. Justice Douglas dissents.

Statutes and regulations cited