Carter focuses his practice on local government law, including civil litigation and administrative proceedings. He advises governmental bodies on a wide range of public law issues, including local government structure, annexation, public utilities, elections, voting rights, rezoning and land use, local taxation, contract disputes, employee grievances, school desegregation, utility franchises, revenue sharing, open record requirements, and conflict of interests laws.

Work Experience
Law Clerk to Honorable Albert J. Engel, Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, 1976-1978.

Representative Experience
Governmental Structure & Annexation
Leonard, L.P. v. City of Bristol - Represented city in state court suit by landowners seeking annexation of land to city.

Washington County v. City of Bristol - Defended city in state court suit challenging landowner-initiated annexation action on alleged ground that city officials improperly induced landowners to seek annexation.

City of South Boston v. Halifax County - Represented city in first state court action by which a city made a transition from city to town status.

Lucy v. County of Albemarle - Represented city in proceeding by voters seeking a transition of the city to town status.

County of Bedford v. City of Bedford - Defended city in state court action seeking injunction barring annexation proceeding by landowners.

City of Danville v. Pittsylvania County - Represented city in state court proceedings for annexation of land to city.

Represented cities and towns in administrative proceedings before Virginia Commission on Local Government involving annexation, city to town reversion, consolidation of localities, revenue sharing agreements, and voluntary settlements of annexation and other issues.

Zoning and Land Use
Metheny v. Stafford County - Defended retail chain store in state court suit challenging conditional rezoning of property.

Guest v. King George County - Defended rezoning of land for 898-unit residential and recreational community in state trial court suit challenging validity of rezoning.

Tolman v. Board of Zoning Appeals and Hancock v. Board of Zoning Appeals - Defended city board of zoning appeals and landowners, respectively, in state court appeals from the granting of zoning variances.

Carroll-Grayson-Galax Regional Solid Waste Authority v. Town of Hillsville - Defended town in state court suit challenging validity of rezoning of area annexed to town.

Oxford House v. City of Danville - Defended city in federal court suit challenging zoning ordinance under federal Fair Housing Act.

Represented energy company in obtaining special use permit for electric power generating facility.

Election Law
Lincoln v. City of Virginia Beach - Defended city council in federal suit under Section 2 of Voting Rights Act challenging at-large system for electing members of city council.

Taylor v. Forrester - Defended county board of supervisors in federal suit alleging vote dilution under Section 2 of Voting Rights Act challenging single-member election districts and remedial plan adopted by county.

Henderson v. Board of Supervisors - Defended county board of supervisors in federal suit under Section 2 of Voting Rights Act challenging single-member election districts and remedial plan adopted by county.

Person v. Ligon - Defended city council in federal suit under Section 2 of Voting Rights Act challenging election plan.

In re Voters of the City of Newport News v. Frank - Represented members of city council in state court suit seeking removal of members from office for alleged violations of state law.

Fitzpatrick v. State Board of Elections - Represented treasurer and commissioner of revenue in state court action challenging action denying ballot access for general election.

Folts v. City of Richmond - Represented city council members in state court action to enjoin redistricting of city election districts in violation of state law prohibiting redistricting except after decennial census.

Represented cities, counties, and towns in Section 5 preclearance matters before U.S. Department of Justice involving redistricting plans, annexations and other changes of boundaries, changes in methods of selecting public officials, change in structure from city to town status, relocation of polling places, and timing of special referenda.

Represented county in securing legislative amendment to state redistricting law permitting county to exclude large prison population in drawing election districts having equal population.

Advised cities, counties, and towns regarding state and federal requirements of decennial redistricting, including Section 2 and Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act.

Other Public Law Matters
Town of Hillsville v. County of Carroll – Representing town in state court actions to recover service charges under water and sewer contracts.

County of Greensville v. City of Emporia – Defended city in federal court suit regarding proper cost sharing formula for operation of joint public school system arising out of school desegregation decree.

Fordney v. Harrisonburg City Council - Defended city in state court suit challenging validity of bond issue.

Mainwaring v. City of Emporia and White v. Town of Warrenton - Defended city and town, respectively, in state court actions seeking disclosure of public records under the Freedom of Information Act.

County of Greensville v. City of Emporia - Represented city in state court action seeking injunction against relocation of courthouse without voter referendum.

Town of Blackstone v. Southside Electric Cooperative - Represented town in administrative proceeding before Virginia State Corporation Commission to seek permission to condemn electric distribution facilities.

City of Bedford v. Appalachian Power Company - Represented city in administrative proceeding before Virginia State Corporation to determine electric service territory.

Virginia Electric & Power Company v. Town of Culpeper - Defended town in state court action seeking to enjoin town provision of electric service.

Pittsylvania County v. City of Danville - Defended city in state court action seeking declaratory judgment regarding statutory authority of county to impose business license tax on city utility operations within county areas.

Publications
Law of Municipal Boundary and Status Changes in Virginia, Handbook of Virginia Local Government Law (2005)

Legislative Redistricting and Voting Rights Act Preclearance, Handbook of Virginia Local Government Law (2005)

Redrawing the Map of Virginia - City-to-Town Reversion, Journal of Local Government Law (2003)

Revenue Sharing: An Important Economic Development Tool for Virginia Localities, Virginia Lawyer (April 2000), Co-author with John S. West

Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965: Litigation in the 1990’s, Journal of Local Government Law (May 1991)