Opinion
Case: 1:16-cv-00895
05-09-2016
Nathanael L. Reynolds, Plaintiff, v. Magistrate Judge Shiva V. Hodges et al., Defendants.
Assigned To : Unassigned
Assign. Date : 5/11/2016
Description: Pro Se Gen. Civ. MEMORANDUM OPINION
Plaintiff, proceeding pro se, has submitted a complaint and an application to proceed in forma pauperis. The application will be granted and the complaint will be dismissed pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915A, which requires the Court to screen and dismiss a prisoner's complaint upon a determination that it fails to state a claim upon which relief may be granted or seeks monetary relief from an immune defendant. See id. § 1915A(b).
Plaintiff is an inmate at the Charleston County Detention Center in Charleston, South Carolina. He has brought suit against a district judge and a magistrate judge, both sitting in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina. Plaintiff complains about their rulings, see Compl. ¶ IV, and he seeks $10 million from each defendant. In addition, plaintiff seeks this Court's intervention.
Judges are absolutely immune from a lawsuit based, as here, on acts taken during the performance of their official duties. See Mirales v. Waco, 502 U.S. 9, 11-12 (1991); Thanh Vong Hoai v. Superior Court for District of Columbia, 344 Fed. Appx. 620 (D.C. Cir. 2009) (per curiam); Sindram v. Suda, 986 F.2d 1459, 1460 (D.C. Cir. 1993); Smith v. Scalia, 44 F. Supp. 3d 28, 40-42 (D.D.C. 2014) (examining cases). In addition, this Court lacks jurisdiction to review the decisions of its sister courts. See United States v. Choi, 818 F. Supp. 2d 79, 85 (D.D.C. 2011) (district courts "generally lack[] appellate jurisdiction over other judicial bodies, and cannot exercise appellate mandamus over other courts.") (citing Lewis v. Green, 629 F. Supp. 546, 553 (D.D.C. 1986)); Fleming v. United States, 847 F. Supp. 170, 172 (D.D.C. 1994), cert. denied 513 U.S. 1150 (1995) (noting that "[b]y filing a complaint in this Court against federal judges who have done nothing more than their duty . . . Fleming has instituted a meritless action") (applying District of Columbia Court of Appeals v. Feldman, 460 U.S. 462, 482 (1983); Rooker v. Fidelity Trust Co., 263 U.S. 413, 415, 416 (1923)). Accordingly, this case will be dismissed with prejudice. A separate Order accompanies this Memorandum Opinion. Date: May 9, 2016
/s/_________
United States District Judge