Opinion
Civil Action No.: 1:18-cv-00778-UNA
04-24-2018
CARGYLE BROWN SOLOMON, Plaintiff, v. LAURA H.G. O'SULLIVAN, et al. Defendants.
MEMORANDUM OPINION
This matter is before the Court on its initial review of plaintiff's pro se complaint and application for leave to proceed in forma pauperis. The Court will grant the application and dismiss the complaint for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(h)(3) (requiring the court to dismiss an action "at any time" it determines that subject matter jurisdiction is wanting).
Plaintiff is a resident of Oxon Hill, Maryland, who is filing to appeal an opinion issued by a judge in the Circuit Court for Prince George's County, Maryland. [See Compl. at 1-2]. This federal district court lacks jurisdiction to review the decisions of a state court. The United States Supreme Court has held that federal district courts lack jurisdiction over challenges to state court decisions D.C. Ct. of App. v. Feldman, 460 U.S. 462, 486 (1983). Rather, the proper method of challenging rulings or actions by the state court is by appeal within the state system. See id. at 486.
Additionally, a challenge to a state court action must proceed through that state's system of appellate review rather than through any federal district court. See Prentice v. U.S. Dist. Court for E. Dist. of Michigan, S. Div., 307 Fed. App'x 460 (D.C. Cir. 2008) (per curiam)(emphasis added). As a result, this case will be dismissed. A separate order accompanies this Memorandum Opinion. Date: 4/24/18
/s/_________
United States District Judge