Opinion ID: 705948
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Opportunity to Present Federal Claims

Text: 10 The California Constitution precludes the Bar Court from considering federal constitutional claims. See Calif. Const. art. III, Sec. 3.5. However, such claims may be raised in judicial review of the Bar Court's decision. This opportunity satisfies the third requirement of Younger. See Ohio Civil Rights Comm'n v. Dayton Christian Schools, Inc., 477 U.S. 619, 629, 106 S.Ct. 2718, 2723-2724, 91 L.Ed.2d 512 (1986); Kenneally v. Lungren, 967 F.2d 329, 332 (9th Cir.1992). 11 Appellants contend their opportunity for judicial review is inadequate because it is wholly discretionary. 2 Judicial review is inadequate only when state procedural law bars presentation of the federal claims. See Partington, 880 F.2d at 123; accord Moore v. Sims, 442 U.S. 415, 430 & n. 12, 99 S.Ct. 2371, 2381 n. 12, 60 L.Ed.2d 994 (1979) (finding abstention appropriate because state law did not impose procedural barriers to raising constitutional claims). The fact that review is discretionary does not bar presentation of appellants' federal claims--appellants can raise the claims in a petition for review. See Beltran, 871 F.2d at 781, 783 (opportunity to present federal claims in a petition for writ of review is sufficient to trigger Younger abstention, even though the court of appeal simply denied the petition without elaboration); Martori Bros. Distribs. v. James-Massengale, 781 F.2d 1349, 1352, 1354 (9th Cir.), amended on other grounds, 791 F.2d 799 (9th Cir.1986) (opportunity to raise federal claims in petition for review satisfied the requirements of Younger even though a reviewing court could deny the petition summarily); Fresh Int'l Corp. v. ALRB, 805 F.2d 1353, 1362 (9th Cir.1986) (finding abstention applicable because plaintiff could have presented [its federal claim] to the court of appeal in its petition for review). 12 The California Supreme Court's rules state that Bar Court decisions will be reviewed when it appears ... necessary to settle important questions of law. Calif.Court Rule 954(a). The court has considered federal constitutional challenges to the attorney disciplinary procedure. See, e.g., Lebbos v. State Bar, 53 Cal.3d 37, 48, 278 Cal.Rptr. 845, 806 P.2d 317 (1991). Refusing to abstain would require presuming that the California Supreme Court will not adequately safeguard federal constitutional rights, a presumption the U.S. Supreme Court squarely rejected in Middlesex, 457 U.S. at 431, 102 S.Ct. at 2520-2521. Accordingly, the third requirement for Younger abstention test was satisfied. 13