Cobb v. Green

OPINION

BENJAMIN F. GIBSON, District Judge.

In Younger v. Harris, 401 U.S. 37, 91 S.Ct. 746, 27 L.Ed.2d 669 (1971), the Supreme Court held that, absent “extraordinary circumstances,” considerations of comity and federalism require the federal courts to abstain from enjoining pending criminal proceedings in state court. In subsequent cases, the Court extended the doctrine of Younger to require abstention when the relief sought in federal court would interfere with ongoing state civil proceedings involving matters of special concern to the states. See, e.g., Moore v. Sims, 442 U.S. 415, 99 S.Ct.…