Alejandro Salas Jr. v. Warden

8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 9 CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA || ALEJANDRO SALAS JR., No. CV 25-11904-JLS(E) 12 Petitioner, 13 Vv. ORDER DISMISSING PETITION WITHOUT PREJUDICE || WARDEN, 15 Respondent.

17 On December 8, 2025, Petitioner filed in the Eastern District of California a Petition challenging || Petitioner’s pending criminal prosecution in state court. On December 18, 2025, this Court received a || transfer of the Petition.

21 Except under narrow circumstances not here present, federal courts abstain from interfering with || pending state criminal proceedings. See Younger v. Harris, 401 U.S. 37 (1971); see also 28 U.S.C. § 23 || 2283. “Our circuit has stated that Younger abstention is appropriate if: ‘(1) there are ongoing state || judicial proceedings, (2) the proceedings implicate important state interests, and (3) there is an adequate || opportunity in the state proceedings to resolve federal questions.’” Dubinka v. Judges of the Superior || Ct., 23 F.3d 218, 223 (9th Cir. 1994)(quoting Gartrell Constr., Inc. v. Aubry, 940 F.2d 437, 441 (9th || Cir. 1991)). Petitioner’s state criminal proceedings, which manifestly implicate important state || interests, are ongoing. Petitioner has an adequate opportunity in the state proceedings to resolve any || federal questions that may arise therein.

3 For the foregoing reasons, the Petition is dismissed without prejudice.

5 LET JUDGMENT BE ENTERED ACCORDINGLY.

7 DATED: December 19, 2025 10 UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE 1] || PRESENTED this 18th day || of December, 2025, by: 15 /S/ CHARLES F. EICK || UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE