Edmonson v. Contra Costa Superior Court-Richmond
Docket: No. 00-16260
Court: Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit; January 23, 2001; Federal Appellate Court
Edmonson appeals pro se from a district court order that granted defendants' motion to dismiss her 42 U.S.C. § 1983 action. She alleges that Judges Joni T. Hiramoto and Peter A. Berger, along with the Superior Court of California, County of Contra Costa, violated her constitutional rights during her 1998 negligence suit against Ralph's Grocery Company. The court affirms the dismissal of her federal action on several grounds. First, Edmonson's claims against the Superior Court are barred by immunity under the Eleventh Amendment, which protects states and their arms from lawsuits seeking damages or injunctive relief. California's municipal and superior courts are considered arms of the state, thereby granting them immunity. Second, Edmonson's claims against Judges Hiramoto and Berger also fail based on judicial immunity. Judges are absolutely immune from civil liability for actions taken in their judicial capacity. Edmonson's grievances include the judges' failure to enter a default judgment against Ralph's, adverse discovery rulings, granting summary judgment to Ralph's, and denying her post-trial motions while awarding attorney fees to Ralph's. These actions were deemed to fall within the judges' judicial functions. Despite Edmonson's argument that the judges acted without jurisdiction, the court finds that they were within their jurisdiction to make judicial rulings in the case before them, as they presided over a court of general jurisdiction. Consequently, Edmonson cannot state a valid claim against the judges. The district court's dismissal of Edmonson's action is affirmed, and this disposition is designated as not appropriate for publication under 9th Cir. R. 36-3. Additionally, it is noted that during the pendency of Edmonson's state court action, the municipal court system in California was unified, and the court in which her case was adjudicated is now referred to as the "Superior Court of California, County of Contra Costa."