Eisenlohr et al v. Connecticut et al

Filing 12

ORDER denying 11 Motion to Amend/Correct; denying 11 Motion for Relief from Judgment. Signed by Judge Stefan R. Underhill on 8/21/18. (Kaas, E.)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT

PAMELA DUDGEON EISENLOHR, et
al.,
Plaintiffs,

No. 3:17-cv-2174 (SRU)

v.
STATE OF CONNECTICUT, et al.,
Defendants.
ORDER ON PLAINTIFF’S MOTION
Pamela Dudgeon Eisenlohr1 initiated this action in December 2017 against fifty-five
defendants, most of whom are state agencies, current or retired state judges, law firms, and
attorneys. She alleges violations of her rights under the Americans with Disability Act and
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act stemming from her state court divorce and child custody
proceedings. See Compl., Doc. No. 1. Eisenlohr moved to proceed in forma pauperis, which
was granted by Magistrate Judge William I. Garfinkel on January 24, 2018. See Doc. No. 7.
Judge Garfinkel also issued a Recommended Ruling, recommending that I dismiss the case for
lack of subject matter jurisdiction. Recommended Ruling, Doc. No. 8. Eisenlohr objected to the
recommendation. See Objection, Doc. No. 8. I approved and adopted Judge Garfinkel’s
Recommended Ruling and closed the case. Order, Doc. No. 10.
Eisenlohr has now moved to amend the judgment and/or for relief from the judgment.
Motion, Doc. No. 11. As set forth in the Recommended Ruling, federal courts lack jurisdiction
in cases such as this pursuant to the Rooker-Feldman doctrine, which precludes a party who lost
her state court case from seeking review of the judgment in federal district court. See Rooker v.

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Eisenlohr also brought this action as next friend and parent on behalf of “S.D.E.,” a minor.

Fidelity Trust Co., 263 U.S. 413, 414-15 (1923), District of Columbia Court of Appeals v.
Feldman, 460 U.S. 462, 486 (1983). Accordingly, Eisenlohr’s motion (Doc. No. 11) is denied.
So ordered.
Dated at Bridgeport, Connecticut, this 21st day of August 2018.

/s/ STEFAN R. UNDERHILL
Stefan R. Underhill
United States District Judge

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