Case Explained: TURNER V. STATE OF OREGON

Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Filed: 2026-06-29 Docket: 3:25-cv-00409-SB The Ninth Circuit affirmed the district court’s order staying Elizabeth Turner’s 42 U.S.C. § 1983 action alleging claims connected to ongoing state criminal proceedings. The court held that the district court properly applied the *Younger v. Harris* abstention doctrine, which requires federal courts to abstain from interfering with pending state judicial proceedings where the federal action would effectively enjoin those proceedings. The appellate court found that Turner failed to demonstrate that any recognized exceptions to *Younger* abstention applied, noting that a claimed constitutional violation alone does not constitute an exception. Additionally, the Ninth Circuit affirmed the denial of Turner’s motion for pro bono counsel as moot following the stay and rejected her unsupported contention regarding magistrate judge bias. As a result, all pending motions are denied, and the federal litigation remains stayed pending the outcome of the state proceedings. Do It For The Case Law is a news reporting service. Nothing in this episode constitutes legal advice.