Source: http://openjurist.org/151/f3d/838/beavers-v-arkansas-state-board-of-dental-examiners-a-j-h-j-r-a-h-a-e-e
Timestamp: 2013-12-10 17:28:34
Document Index: 346546527

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1983', '§ 1331', '§ 1291', '§ 17', '§ 17', '§ 17']

151 F3d 838 Beavers v. Arkansas State Board of Dental Examiners | OpenJurist
151 F. 3d 838 - Beavers v. Arkansas State Board of Dental Examiners	Home151 f3d 838 beavers v. arkansas state board of dental examiners
151 F3d 838 Beavers v. Arkansas State Board of Dental Examiners 151 F.3d 838
Sam L. BEAVERS, Appellant,v.ARKANSAS STATE BOARD OF DENTAL EXAMINERS; Judith A. Safly,Director, Individually and in her Official Capacity; J.Walker Loyd, President, Individually and in his OfficialCapacity; Robert H. Burch, Member of the Arkansas Board ofDental Examiners, Individually and in his Official Capacity;J. David Alford, Member of the Arkansas Board of DentalExaminers, Individually and in his Official Capacity; R.Lester Barrett, Member of the Arkansas Board of DentalExaminers, Individually and in his Official Capacity; CindyA. Johnson, Member of the Arkansas Board of DentalExaminers, Individually and in her Official Capacity; H.Fletcher Sullards, Member of the Arkansas Board of DentalExaminers, Individually and in his Official Capacity; JamesA. Burgess, Jr., Member of the Arkansas Board of DentalExaminers, Individually and in his Official Capacity; DavidE. Walker, Member of the Arkansas Board of Dental Examiners,Individually and in his Official Capacity; Connie E. Cox,Member of the Arkansas Board of Dental Examiners,Individually and in her Official Capacity, Appellees.
No. 96-3557.
Submitted Nov. 20, 1997.Decided Aug. 6, 1998.
Philip E. Kaplan, Little Rock, AR, argued, for appellant.
William H. Trice, III, Little Rock, AR, argued, for appellee.
Sam L. Beavers appeals from a final order entered in the United States District Court3 for the Eastern District of Arkansas abstaining from exercising jurisdiction over his claims under the First and Fourteenth Amendments and 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against the Arkansas State Board of Dental Examiners and its nine constituent members (collectively, the "Board"). Beavers v. Arkansas State Bd. of Dental Exam'rs, No. LRC-95-162 (E.D.Ark. Sept. 12, 1996) ("slip op.") (citing Railroad Comm'n v. Pullman Co., 312 U.S. 496, 61 S.Ct. 643, 85 L.Ed. 971 (1941) (Pullman )). The district court had proper jurisdiction over this matter pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1331. Beavers timely filed a notice of appeal under Rule 4(a) of the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure which invoked this court's jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291.
For reversal, Beavers contends that the district court erred in applying the Pullman abstention doctrine because the challenged state regulations are (1) clear and unambiguous and (2) not subject to an interpretation that would obviate the federal constitutional question. For the reasons discussed below, we affirm the order of the district court.
The following material facts are undisputed on appeal. Beavers practices dentistry in Little Rock, Arkansas, and wishes to advertise in Arkansas in order to promote his practice. The Board is an agency created by the Arkansas State Legislature pursuant to Ark.Code Ann. § 17-82-201. The Board possesses statutory authority to regulate dental advertising under Ark.Code Ann. § 17-82-208(a) and is charged with the task of preventing advertising that is "fraudulent or misleading." See id. § 17-82-106. To this end, the Board has promulgated a series of rules and regulations regarding the advertisement of dental services, the naming of dental facilities, and the announcemen