Opinion ID: 3031277
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Opportunity to Litigate Federal Claims

Text: [5] California’s attorney disciplinary proceedings provide Bendel with an adequate opportunity to litigate his federal constitutional claims. Hirsh, 67 F.3d at 711-12, 713. It is inconsequential that California’s State Bar Court has no jurisdiction to declare a statute unenforceable or unconstitutional or refuse to enforce it on such a basis absent clear precedent. Id. at 713. Federal constitutional rights may be asserted in disciplinary proceedings, Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 6085(e), and on judicial review of such proceedings. Hirsh, 67 F.3d at 713. Although judicial review is wholly discretionary, its mere availability provides the requisite opportunity to litigate. Id. Bendel contends that abstention in this case would impermissibly allow a state tribunal to determine federal statutory claims. Facing a similar issue with regard to a claim for damages under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, this court recently held: When an injunction is sought and Younger applies, it makes sense to abstain, that is, to refrain from exercising jurisdiction, permanently by dismissing the federal action because the federal court is only being asked to stop the state proceeding. . . . But when damages are sought and Younger principles apply, it makes sense for the federal court to refrain from exercising jurisdiction temporarily by staying BENDEL v. STATE OF CALIFORNIA 4133 its hand until such time as the state proceeding is no longer pending. Gilbertson, 381 F.3d at 981. Bendel contends that, under Gilbertson, he should be permitted to intervene and federal proceedings should be stayed until the state disciplinary proceedings against him conclude. We disagree. [6] Bendel is not entitled to a stay under Gilbertson because, contrary to his assertions, he has made no claim for damages under § 1983 or any other federal statute. In his proposed complaint-in-intervention, Bendel cites § 1983 only in establishing subject-matter jurisdiction, and he requests only declaratory and injunctive relief, attorney fees and costs. In Gilbertson, we specifically distinguished damages from declaratory and injunctive relief for purposes of their disposition under Younger. We observed that “damages actions are different from actions that seek only declaratory relief in two important respects: The relief is not discretionary, and it may not be available in the state proceeding.” Id. at 980. Because Bendel seeks declaratory and injunctive relief but not damages, the traditional rules of Younger abstention apply. The federal courts must abstain permanently because Bendel is asking only that the federal courts stop the state proceedings. See id. at 981. Although permanently abstaining ordinarily requires dismissing an action, in this case it requires denying Bendel’s motion to intervene to prevent the filing of his proposed complaint-in-intervention.