Case Explained: ALEMAN V. AQUA CALIENTE CASINO, ET AL.

Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Filed: 2026-06-26 Docket: 5:24-cv-01053-HDV- The ninth-circuit affirmed the district court’s dismissal of Angel Felipe Aleman’s pro se civil rights action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against a casino and its security officers. The court held that the complaint failed to allege sufficient facts to demonstrate that the defendants acted under color of state law, a necessary element for liability under § 1983. Applying the plausibility standard from *Ashcroft v. Iqbal* and reviewing the dismissal de novo pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B)(ii), the court found that Aleman did not provide factual matter showing the defendants exercised power possessed by virtue of state law. Additionally, the panel granted Aleman’s motions to amend the case caption and obtain a copy of the district court’s decision. The practical consequence is that the dismissal stands, barring the plaintiff from proceeding with the claims on their current merits. Do It For The Case Law is a news reporting service. Nothing in this episode constitutes legal advice.