Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-almd-2_15-cv-00519/USCOURTS-almd-2_15-cv-00519-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Civil Rights Act

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF ALABAMA

NORTHERN DIVISION

ERIC M. SOM,

Plaintiff,

v.

SUPREME COURT OF 

ALABAMA, et al., 

Defendants.

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CASE NO. 2:15-CV-519-WKW

 [WO]

ORDER

On October 20, 2015, the Magistrate Judge filed a Recommendation

(Doc. # 9) to which Plaintiff filed objections (Doc. # 12.) The court has conducted 

an independent and de novo review of those portions of the Recommendation to 

which objections are made, see 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1). The court concludes that 

the objections are without merit and that the Magistrate Judge’s Recommendation 

is due to be adopted.

Accordingly, it is ORDERED that:

(1) Plaintiff’s objections (Doc. # 12) are OVERRULED;

(2) The Recommendation (Doc. # 9) is ADOPTED;

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(3) To the extent that any of Plaintiff’s claims rest on any alleged 

violations of the rights of other bar applicants, Plaintiff’s claims are DISMISSED 

for lack of jurisdiction due to Plaintiff’s lack of standing to pursue those claims;

(4) Counts one, three, and five are DISMISSED in their entirety for lack 

of jurisdiction pursuant to the Rooker-Feldman doctrine;

(5) Counts two and four, to the extent that they seek declaratory and 

injunctive relief related to Plaintiff’s application for admission to the bar, are 

DISMISSED for lack of jurisdiction pursuant to the Rooker-Feldman doctrine;

(6) Counts two and four, to the extent that they present facial 

constitutional challenges to Rule VI(B) of the Alabama Supreme Court’s Rules 

Governing Admission to the Alabama State Bar, are DISMISSED for lack of 

jurisdiction, as Plaintiff lacks Article III standing to pursue these claims; and

(7) The court will delay entering final judgement for ten days to allow 

Plaintiff an opportunity to move to amend his complaint.

DONE this 24th day of November, 2015.

 /s/ W. Keith Watkins 

CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 2:15-cv-00519-WKW-SRW Document 13 Filed 11/24/15 Page 2 of 2