In July and August, 1963, the Milwaukee chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality charged Fred E. Lins, a member of the Milwaukee Community Social Development Commission, with prejudicial statements concerning Negroes, and demanded his resignation. On August 28 and 30, CORE members staged a sit-in at the office of Eugene Grobschmidt, Milwaukee County Board Chairman, asking that Grobschmidt request Lins' resignation. Several demonstrators were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. Trials and appeals growing out of these arrests lasted for two years. The defense centered on the contention that a peaceful sit-in could not be interpreted as “disorderly” conduct. The main case, State of Wisconsin vs. John Givens et al. was finally tried in the Wisconsin Supreme Court, where earlier convictions were upheld, Justice Heffernan dissenting. Jacobson decided against appeal to the United States Supreme Court on the basis of advice from Derrick Bell of the N.A.A.C.P. Legal Defense and Educational Fund.
