Lisa Brown v. Jason Brown
Lisa Brown v. Jason Brown
Opinion
NOT PRECEDENTIAL
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT ___________
No. 19-1821 __________
LISA M. BROWN
v.
JASON L. BROWN, Appellant ____________________________________
On Appeal from the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania (D.C. Civil Action No. 3-19-cv-00404) District Judge: Honorable Malachy E. Mannion ____________________________________
Submitted Pursuant to Third Circuit L.A.R. 34.1(a) August 23, 2019 Before: KRAUSE, SCIRICA and NYGAARD, Circuit Judges
(Opinion filed: August 26, 2019) ___________
OPINION* ___________
PER CURIAM
On March 7, 2019, Jason L. Brown commenced an action in the District Court by
* This disposition is not an opinion of the full Court and pursuant to I.O.P. 5.7 does not constitute binding precedent. filing a “notice of appeal in a civil case.” The matter was referred to a Magistrate Judge
who recommended that it be dismissed under the Rooker-Feldman1 doctrine because
Brown was attempting to appeal from a state-court judgment.2 The District Court agreed
and dismissed the case for lack of jurisdiction. Brown timely appealed.
We exercise de novo review over the question of subject-matter jurisdiction.
PennMont Secs. v. Frucher,
586 F.3d 242, 245(3d Cir. 2009); see also United States v.
Apple MacPro Computer,
851 F.3d 238, 244(3d Cir. 2017). We have jurisdiction under
28 U.S.C. § 1291.
We agree with the District Court that it lacked jurisdiction over Brown’s case. In
his brief on appeal, Brown makes clear that he is seeking review of a domestic-relations
order entered by the Court of Common Pleas of Schuylkill County.3 As the Magistrate
Judge correctly concluded, however, the Rooker-Feldman doctrine strips federal courts of
jurisdiction over controversies “that are essentially appeals from state-court judgments.”
Great W. Mining & Mineral Co. v. Fox Rothschild LLP,
615 F.3d 159, 165(3d Cir.
2010); see also Exxon Mobil Corp. v. Saudi Basic Indus. Corp.,
544 U.S. 280, 284
1 See Rooker v. Fid. Tr. Co.,
263 U.S. 413(1923); D.C. Court of Appeals v. Feldman,
460 U.S. 462(1983). 2 Brown did not file objections to the Report and Recommendation pursuant to Rule 72(b)(2) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. 3 Based on the documents that Brown attached to his “notice of appeal in a civil case,” it appears that this judgment was affirmed by the Superior Court of Pennsylvania and that the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania subsequently denied allocatur. 2 (2005). Amendment would be futile. See Grayson v. Mayview State Hosp.,
293 F.3d 103, 108(3d Cir. 2002).
Accordingly, we will affirm.
3
Reference
- Status
- Unpublished