Ammons v. Dade City, Florida

William Ammons (plaintiff), a Black resident of Dade City (the city) (defendant), brought suit against the city, contending that the city violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Specifically, Ammons alleged that the city intentionally discriminated against Black residents in the provision of street paving, resurfacing, and maintenance, as well as storm-water-drainage facilities. The district court determined that the city systematically allocated greater resources to the White community than to the Black community. Hence, the district court found, there were large disparities between the Black and White communities in the provision of the three municipal services. In conducting its disparity analysis, the district court included the streets in the Black community that were annexed into the city during the course of the litigation. For years prior to the annexation, these streets functioned as part of the Black community. The district court also included in its disparity analysis the streets in the White community that were owned by the state and county. The city consistently asked the state and county to maintain these streets. Additionally, the district court found that there was a legislative and administrative history of racial discrimination in the city’s provision of municipal services. Accordingly, the district court held that the city violated the Equal Protection Clause. The city appealed.