Walker v. Thompson et al

Filing 48

MEMORANDUM OPINION & ORDER, denying 34 MOTION for Joinder of claims by William B. Walker. Signed by Judge Henry R. Wilhoit, Jr on 9/19/11.(SMT)cc: COR, Walker via USMail

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF KENTUCKY

NORTHERN DIVISION

ASHLAND

CIVIL ACTION NO. 1O-CV-54-HRW

PLAINTIFF

WILLIAMB. WALKER

VS:

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

LADONNA H. THOMPSON, et al.

DEFENDANTS

***** ***** *****
PlaintiffWilliam B. Walker, an inmate at the Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex
("EKCC") a state prison in West Liberty, Kentucky, pro se, filed this action, pursuant to 42
U.S.C. § 1983, asserting various claims ofcivil rights violations against defendants LaDonna
H. Thompson, Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Corrections; Joseph Meko,
Warden at Little Sandy Correctional Complex ("LSCC,,);1 and Colleen Fanning, a
Correctional Officer at LSCC. Walker seeks injunctive relief and damages. This matter is
proceeding on Walker's claims that (1) defendants' policy of racial segregation in two-man
cells violated his Fourteenth Amendment right to equal protection, and (2) the Kentucky
Department of Corrections ("KDOC") has violated federal law by deducting his social
security disability benefits from his inmate account for payment of fines imposed by the

1At the time Walker filed his complaint, he was in inmate at LSCC in Little
Sandy, Kentucky. He has since been transferred to NTC.

Kentucky courts.
This matter is currently before the Court on Walker's motion for joinder of claims.
This motion has been fully briefed and is ripe for review.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS
Walker's motion for joinder of claims appears to be based on his claim that his
conviction in Warren Circuit Court in a criminal case in which the presiding judge was Judge
John D. Minton, Jr.,2 is null and void for a host of reasons. Based on that premise, Walker
argues that his current incarceration is illegal, that the state court's Order imposing sanctions
on him for filing frivolous actions is void, that defendants allowed themselves to become
tools of a disqualified judge in Warren Circuit Court (Judge Minton), and that the federal
court is not required to give full faith and credit to that void state court judgment.
Walker apparently misunderstands the role ofthis Court. To the extent that he wishes
to challenge the Boyle Circuit Court's Order ofOctober 4,2010, which imposed a $1,000.00
fine and directed the Clerk ofthe Court to accept no more filings from him until the fine had
been paid, or any other state court judgment or order, he is advised that his request for relief
is barred by the Rooker-Feldman doctrine. This doctrine, described as "a combination ofthe
abstention and res judicata doctrines, stands for the proposition that a federal district court
may not hear an appeal of a case already litigated in state court. A party raising a federal

Hon. John D. Minton, Jr., is no longer Warren Circuit Judge and is currently
the Chief Justice on the Kentucky Supreme Court.
2

2

question must appeal a state court decision through the state system and then directly to the
Supreme Court of the United States." United States v. Owens, 54 F.3d 271, 274 (6th Cir.
1995) (citing District ofColumbia Court ofAppeals v. Feldman, 460 U.S. 462, 476 (1983);

Rookerv. Fidelity Trust Co., 263 U.S. 413 (1923)). However displeased Walkeris with the
imposition of the $1,000.00 fine or any other fine imposed by the state courts in Kentucky,
his remedy is not to seek relief from a federal district court. Instead, he must pursue appeals
of that decision through Kentucky's appellate courts - to the level of the Commonwealth's
Supreme Court - and then on to the Supreme Court of the United States.
Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that PlaintiffWilliam B. Walker's motion
for joinder of claims [R. 34] is DENIED.
This 19th day of September, 2011.

SIgned By'
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United States Dtstnct Jtxtge

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