Opinion ID: 308244
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the propriety of declaratory relief

Text: 13 Construing the district court's order solely as a declaration that the Connecticut flag statute is unconstitutional does not, however, end the preliminary issues to be decided before the constitutionality of the statute may be considered. There is an important issue whether declaratory relief is appropriate or whether appellee, who alleges his first amendment rights are chilled by the existence of the statute, has an adequate remedy at law in the state courts. In Samuels v. Mackell, 401 U.S. 66, 91 S.Ct. 764, 27 L.Ed.2d 688 (1971), a companion case to Younger v. Harris, 401 U.S. 37, 91 S.Ct. 746, 27 L.Ed.2d 669 (1971), the Supreme Court held that federal courts are precluded from issuing declaratory judgments on the constitutionality of state statutes when there are pending criminal proceedings involving the declaratory plaintiff and challenged statute in state courts, absent a showing that the state prosecution is being brought in bad faith. The question here is whether the Samuels holding extends to the situation where there may be a pending state prosecution but it is not pending against the federal plaintiff himself. 2 14 In answering this question, we recognize that Younger, Samuels and their companion cases place some restrictions on anticipatory challenges to state statutes based on their alleged chilling of first amendment rights, challenges first permitted by Dombrowski v. Pfister, 380 U.S. 479, 85 S.Ct. 1116, 14 L.Ed.2d 22 (1965). See Note, Implication of the Younger Cases for the Availability of Federal Equitable Relief When No State Prosecution Is Pending, 72 Colum.L.Rev. 874, 880-89 (1972) (hereinafter cited as Columbia Note). There are suggestions in dictum in the Younger group of cases that, absent a showing of bad faith enforcement on the part of state officials, federal courts should not reach out and declare state statutes unconstitutional on their face. See Younger v. Harris, supra, 401 U.S. at 52, 91 S.Ct. 746 at 754 (on its face adjudication is fundamentally at odds with the function of the federal courts in our constitutional plan); Boyle v. Landry, 401 U.S. 77, 81, 91 S.Ct. 758, 27 L.Ed.2d 696 (1971); The Supreme Court-1970 Term, 85 Harv.L.Rev. 3, 304-05 (1971); Columbia Note, supra at 890-92. Yet, it is our view that the Supreme Court intended to leave open the question whether the requirement of bad faith or of other extraordinary circumstances evidencing irreparable injury, which the Younger group of cases affirmed for anticipatory federal court intervention in pending state suits, applies when no state criminal prosecution is pending against the federal plaintiff. See Younger v. Harris, supra, 401 U.S. at 41, 91 S.Ct. at 749, (We express no view about the circumstances under which federal courts may act when there is no prosecution pending in state courts at the time the federal proceeding is begun) and at 55, 91 S.Ct. 746 (Stewart & Harlan, JJ., concurring); Samuels v. Mackell, supra, 401 U.S. at 73-74, 91 S.Ct. 764; Columbia Note, supra at 891-92. See also Lake Carriers' Association v. MacMullan, 406 U.S. 498, 509, 92 S.Ct. 1749, 1757, 32 L.Ed.2d 257 (1972) ([I]n the absence of a pending state proceeding . . . exercise of federal court jurisdiction ordinarily is appropriate if the conditions for declaratory or injunctive relief are met). 15 Furthermore persuasive policy considerations suggest that the pendency of criminal proceedings in the state courts against others should not prevent the appellee from obtaining federal anticipatory relief. See generally Perez v. Ledesma, 401 U.S. 82, 120-122, 91 S.Ct. 674, 27 L.Ed.2d 701 (1971) (separate opinions). If federal anticipatory relief were not available, individuals like the appellee in this case would be forced to engage in what they believe is activity protected by the first amendment under the threat of criminal prosecution. Absent the overruling of Dombrowski v. Pfister, supra, and Zwickler v. Koota, 389 U.S. 241, 88 S.Ct. 391, 19 L.Ed.2d 444 (1967), the situation here, where no state prosecution is pending against the individual, is one without the reach of Younger and brethren. When there is no state prosecution pending the individual must linger in uncertainty as to the protected nature of his planned activity and he is subject wholly to the discretion of state officials. Columbia Note, supra at 892. A pending state prosecution at least provides him with a concrete way of resolving doubts about his constitutional rights, whereas such a pending prosecution against another would not necessarily have such an effect. 16 Additionally, federal court interference with state administration of its criminal law, the basic comity concern underlying the Younger group of cases, is minimized when no state prosecution is pending against the federal plaintiff. The state has not yet committed its criminal justice resources to the prosecution of the particular case and the allegedly chilled individual should be able to choose a federal forum for protection of his constitutional rights. The Supreme Court-1970 Term, supra at 307-08. A choice of a federal forum to vindicate first amendment rights is entitled to significant weight in determining the availability of anticipatory relief. See Ex parte Young, 209 U.S. 123, 165, 28 S.Ct. 441, 52 L.Ed. 714 (1908); see also Wisconsin v. Constantineau, 400 U.S. 433, 437-439, 91 S.Ct. 507, 27 L.Ed.2d 515 (1971). 17 We thus hold that the district court could properly issue a declaration on the Connecticut statute's constitutionality.