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[DO NOT PUBLISH]
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
________________________
No. 16-15869
Non-Argument Calendar
________________________
D.C. Docket No. 6:15-cv-01009-CEM-TBS
MARIE HENRY,
Individually and on behalf of her child, M.E. as her
interests may appear,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
versus
THE FLORIDA BAR,
JOHN F. HARKNESS, JR.,
Executive Director Florida Bar, in his professional
and individual capacities,
JOANN M. STALCUP,
Bar Counsel Florida Bar in her professional and
individual capacities,
ADRIA E. QUINTELA,
Director Lawyer Regulation in her professional and
individual capacities,
JAN K. WICHROWSKI,
Chief Brank Discipline Counsel, in her professional
and individual capacities,
Defendants-Appellees.
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________________________
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Middle District of Florida
________________________
(July 14, 2017)
Before TJOFLAT, HULL and WILSON, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:
Marie Henry, proceeding pro se on behalf of herself and her child, appeals
the dismissal of her civil rights complaint against the Florida Bar and John F.
Harkness, the executive director of the Florida Bar; JoAnn Stalcup, counsel for the
Florida Bar; Adria Quintela, director of lawyer regulation for the Florida Bar; and
Jan Wichrowski, chief branch discipline counsel for the Florida Bar (collectively,
“individual defendants”), alleging violations of 42 U.S.C. §§ 1981, 1983, 1985,
1986, 1988 and state laws, as being barred by immunity and the Younger 1
abstention doctrine. On appeal, Henry argues that the Florida Bar should not be
entitled to Eleventh Amendment immunity because it is not an arm of the state,
that the individual defendants are not immune from suit, and that the Younger
abstention doctrine should not apply. We address each argument in turn.
I.
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Younger v. Harris, 401 U.S. 37 (1971).
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We review de novo the grant of a motion to dismiss based upon a state’s
Eleventh Amendment immunity. In re Employment Discrimination Litig. Against
State of Ala., 198 F.3d 1305, 1310 (11th Cir. 1999). We also review de novo
whether an entity constitutes an arm of the state under Eleventh Amendment
immunity analysis. Lightfoot v. Henry Cnty. Sch. Dist., 771 F.3d 764, 768 (11th
Cir. 2014).
Eleventh Amendment immunity bars suits by private individuals against a
state in federal court unless the state consented to be sued, waived its immunity, or
Congress abrogated the states' immunity. Bd. of Trs. of Univ. of Ala. v. Garrett,
531 U.S. 356, 363-64 (2001). Congress has not abrogated Eleventh Amendment
immunity in 42 U.S.C. §§ 1981, 1983, or 1985 cases, and Florida has not waived
its Eleventh Amendment immunity in federal civil rights actions. Sessions v. Rusk
State Hosp., 648 F.2d 1066, 1069 (5th Cir. June 26, 1981); Gamble v. Florida
Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, 779 F.2d 1509, 1511 (11th Cir.
1986); Fincher v. State of Fla. Dep't of Labor & Employment Sec. Unemployment
Appeals Comm'n, 798 F.2d 1371, 1372 (11th Cir. 1986). A successful claim under
42 U.S.C. § 1986 is predicated on a successful action under § 1985. Morast v.
Lance, 807 F.2d 926, 930 (11th Cir. 1987).
“To receive Eleventh Amendment immunity, a defendant need not be
labeled a ‘state officer’ or ‘state official,’ but instead need only be acting as an
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‘arm of the State.’” Manders v. Lee, 338 F.3d 1304, 1308 (11th Cir. 2003) (en
banc). We previously held that the Florida Bar is an arm of the state to which
Eleventh Amendment immunity is extended. Kaimowitz v. Florida Bar, 996 F.2d
1151, 1155 (11th Cir. 1993); Nichols v. Alabama State Bar, 815 F.3d 726, 732
(11th Cir. 2016); see also Rules Regulating the Florida Bar, Chapter 1,
Introduction (“The Supreme Court of Florida by these rules establishes the
authority and responsibilities of The Florida Bar, an official arm of the court.”).
Furthermore, we previously held that the Florida Bar Rules establish that officials
acting in disciplinary proceedings are agents of the Florida Supreme Court; thus,
they are entitled to absolute immunity. Carroll v. Gross, 984 F.2d 392, 393 (11th
Cir. 1993).
Suits against state officials in their official capacities are treated as suits
against the state. Hafer v. Melo, 502 U.S. 21, 25 (1991). Official-capacity
defendants may assert the same immunities that the governmental entity possesses.
Id. However, the Eleventh Amendment does not bar claims against a state official
who acted outside the scope of his statutory authority or pursuant to an
unconstitutional authority. Cate v. Oldham, 707 F.2d 1176, 1180 (11th Cir. 1983).
Furthermore, under the doctrine enunciated in Ex parte Young, a suit requesting
injunctive relief on a prospective basis for an ongoing constitutional violation
against a state official in his or her official capacity is not a suit against the state,
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and thus does not violate the Eleventh Amendment. Grizzle v. Kemp, 634 F.3d
1314, 1319 (11th Cir. 2011). Additionally, we previously held that neither a state
nor its officials acting in their official capacities are “persons” under § 1983. Will
v. Michigan Dep't of State Police, 491 U.S. 58, 71 (1989).
Under the prior panel precedent rule, subsequent panels are bound by the
holding of a prior panel until it is overruled or undermined to the point of
abrogation by a decision of the Supreme Court or this Court sitting en banc.
United States v. Archer, 531 F.3d 1347, 1352 (11th Cir. 2008). There is no
“overlooked reason or argument” exception to the prior precedent rule. United
States v. Johnson, 528 F.3d 1318, 1320 (11th Cir. 2008), rev’d on other grounds,
559 U.S. 133 (2010). An intervening decision of the Supreme Court can overrule
the decision of a prior panel, but the Supreme Court decision must be clearly on
point. Archer, 531 F.3d at 1352.
Eleventh Amendment immunity bars Henry’s claims against the Florida Bar
under 42 U.S.C. §§ 1981, 1983, and 1985 because neither Congress nor the state of
Florida have abrogated Eleventh Amendment immunity under those claims. See
Bd. of Trs. of Univ. of Ala., 531 U.S. at 363–64; Sessions, 648 F.2d at 1069;
Gamble, 779 F.2d at 1511; Fincher, 798 F.2d at 1372. We previously held that the
Florida Bar is entitled to Eleventh Amendment immunity as an arm of the state,
and the prior panel rule requires that we adhere to that holding. Kaimowitz, 996
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F.2d at 1155; Archer, 531 F.3d at 1352. Furthermore, because Eleventh
Amendment immunity bars Henry’s 42 U.S.C. § 1985 claim against the Florida
Bar, she cannot make a successful § 1986 claim. See Morast, 807 F.2d at 930.
The individual defendants are likewise immune as state officials from
Henry’s claims against them in their official capacities for monetary damages. See
Hafer, 502 U.S. at 25. Henry failed to show that the individual defendants acted
according to unconstitutional authority or acted outside of their authority to remove
them from Eleventh Amendment immunity; in fact, Henry stated in her complaint
that the individual defendants were acting within the course and scope of their
employment with the Florida bar during her disciplinary proceedings. See Cate,
707 F.2d at 1180. The Ex Parte Young exception to Eleventh Amendment
immunity only applies to prospective injunctive relief and thus does not overcome
immunity for monetary damages. Grizzle, 634 F.3d at 1319. Finally, the
individual defendants were entitled to absolute immunity as agents of the Florida
Supreme Court and were not “persons” subject to suit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. See
Carroll, 984 F.2d at 393; Will, 491 U.S. at 71.
II.
We review the district court’s decision to apply Younger abstention for an
abuse of discretion. Hughes v. Attorney General of Florida, 377 F.3d 1258, 1262
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(11th Cir. 2004). A district court abuses its discretion when it makes an error of
law. United States v. Pruitt, 174 F.3d 1215, 1219 (11th Cir. 1999).
In Younger v. Harris, the Supreme Court held that a federal court should not
act to restrain an ongoing state court criminal prosecution. 401 U.S. at 55. The
Supreme Court expanded the Younger abstention doctrine to apply to pending civil
proceedings which implicate state courts’ important interests in administering
certain aspects of their judicial systems, including state disciplinary proceedings
because they are judicial in nature and implicate important state interests. Green v.
Jefferson Cty. Comm’n, 563 F.3d 1243, 1250-51 (11th Cir. 2009); Middlesex Cnty.
Ethics Comm. v. Garden State Bar Assoc., 457 U.S. 423, 434-35 (1982). Younger
abstention applies to claims for injunctive relief, as well as claims for declaratory
judgment that would effectively enjoin state proceedings. Old Republic Union
Insurance Co. v. Tillis Trucking Co., 124 F.3d 1258, 1261 (11th Cir. 1997).
For Younger abstention to apply, state judicial proceedings must be ongoing,
the proceedings must implicate important state interests, and the federal plaintiff
must have an adequate opportunity to raise constitutional challenges in the state
proceedings. 31 Foster Children v. Bush, 329 F.3d 1255, 1274 (11th Cir. 2003).
The first factor is met when a state proceeding is ongoing and the relief sought by
the plaintiff would interfere with the state proceeding. Id. at 1275–76. The
plaintiff’s requested relief can interfere with the state proceeding if it would disrupt
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the normal course of action in the state proceeding, even if the relief sought would
not terminate an ongoing proceeding. Id. at 1276. We previously held that, in
determining whether a proceeding is ongoing and Younger is applicable, the date
of filing of the federal complaint is the relevant date. Liedel v. Juvenile Court of
Madison Cty., Ala., 891 F.2d 1542, 1546 n. 6 (11th Cir. 1990).
For the third factor, the plaintiff has the burden to show that the state
proceeding will not provide him an adequate remedy for his federal claim. 31
Foster Children, 329 F.3d at 1279. “A federal court should assume that state
procedures will afford an adequate remedy, in the absence of unambiguous
authority to the contrary.” Id. (internal quotation omitted).
Exceptions to Younger abstention include bad faith, harassment, or a
patently invalid state statute. Redner v. Citrus County, 919 F.2d 646, 649 (11th
Cir. 1990). A proceeding is initiated in bad faith if it is brought without a
reasonable expectation of obtaining a valid conviction. Id. at 650. A state statute
may cause irreparable injury, justifying an exception to Younger abstention, when
it flagrantly and patently violates express constitutional prohibitions. Hughes, 377
F.3d at 1264. Extraordinary circumstances may justify an exception to Younger
abstention when the state court cannot fairly and fully adjudicate the constitutional
issues and the plaintiff presents “an extraordinarily pressing need for immediate
federal equitable relief.” Kugler v. Helfant, 421 U.S. 117, 124-25 (1975).
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The district court did not abuse its discretion in determining that Henry’s
remaining claims, including her claims for injunctive relief, were barred by the
Younger abstention doctrine. See Old Republic Union Insurance Co., 124 F.3d at
1261. Younger is applicable because the state proceeding was ongoing due to the
fact that the Florida Supreme Court judgment was not final at the time that Henry
filed her complaint, the disciplinary proceedings were judicial and implicated
important state interests, a decision in federal court would interfere with the state
proceeding, and Henry had an opportunity to raise her constitutional concerns in
the state proceedings. 31 Foster Children v. Bush, 329 F.3d at 1274–76; Liedel,
891 F.2d at 1546 n. 6; Middlesex, 457 U.S. at 434–35. Henry did not show that she
could not raise her concerns in the state proceedings, and she did not show that any
of the exceptions to Younger should apply. 31 Foster Children, 329 F.3d at 1279;
Redner, 919 F.2d at 649.
AFFIRMED.
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