United States Sixth Circuit

In an action under 42 U.S.C. section 1983 against officials of the State Bar of Michigan in connection with their denial of plaintiff's application for a license to practice law, dismissal of plaintiff's claims is affirmed where: 1) the section 1983 claims were a direct attack on a state court judgment and were barred by the Rooker-Feldman doctrine; 2) prospective relief was barred under Rooker-Feldman since relief can only be predicated on a determination that a prior decision denying plaintiff bar admission was improper; and 3) defendants have absolute immunity for their actions as members of the State Bar of Michigan's Character Fitness Committee and cannot be liable for issuing an unfavorable recommendation.

Appellate Information

• Decided 06/03/2008
• Published 06/03/2008

Judges

• Before: ROGERS and SUTTON, Circuit Judges;  BERTELSMAN, District Judge.

Court

• United States Sixth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  Dennis B. Dubuc, Essex Park Law Office, South Lyon, Michigan, for Appellant.  Richard C. Kraus, Foster, Swift, Collins & Smith, Lansing, Michigan, Denise C. Barton, Michigan Department of Attorney General, Lansing, Michigan, for Appellees.   ON BRIEF:  Dennis B. Dubuc, Essex Park Law Office, South Lyon, Michigan, for Appellant.  Richard C. Kraus, Foster, Swift, Collins & Smith, Lansing, Michigan, Denise C. Barton, Michigan Department of Attorney General, Lansing, Michigan, John R. Oostema, Smith, Haughey, Rice & Roegge, Grand Rapids, Michigan, for Appellees.