Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-05571/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-05571-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

VINCENT ROSENBALM,

Plaintiff,

v.

PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES,

Defendant. /

No. C 07-5571 SI (pr)

ORDER OF DISMISSAL

Plaintiff filed this action to appeal a decision of the California Supreme Court to deny his

petition for review in People v. Rosenbalm on October 24, 2007. Federal district courts are

courts of original jurisdiction and may not review the final determinations of a state court. See

District of Columbia Court of Appeals v. Feldman, 460 U.S. 462, 482-86 (1983); Rooker v.

Fidelity Trust Co., 263 U.S. 413, 415-16 (1923) (district courts may not exercise appellate

jurisdiction over state courts). The Rooker-Feldman doctrine essentially bars federal district

courts “from exercising subject matter jurisdiction over a suit that is a de facto appeal from a

state court judgment.” Kougasian v. TMSL, Inc., 359 F.3d 1136, 1139 (9th Cir. 2004).

Inasmuch as plaintiff clearly is trying to appeal the state court decision, this action must be

dismissed for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. The clerk shall close the file. 

 IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: December 17, 2007 ______________________

 SUSAN ILLSTON

United States District Judge

Case 3:07-cv-05571-SI Document 4 Filed 12/17/07 Page 1 of 1