In negotiations over the 1957 civil rights bill, lawmakers faced a conflict between satisfying Northern liberals and avoiding a Southern filibuster, centered on who would preside over cases involving alleged voter suppression by Southern officials.

“The problem was there seemed to be no bill strong enough to win the northern liberals, yet weak enough that the southerners wouldn't filibuster it. The sticking point was who would preside over the court cases where southern electoral officials were accused of suppressing black voters.”