Lawrence Roth v. Bank of the Commonwealth

ENGEL, Circuit Judge.

The principal and, we hold, controlling issue in this appeal is whether the Anti-Injunction Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2283 (1976), prevents a federal district court from enjoining the prosecution by the federal court defendant of in personam state actions where those actions were commenced after the institution of the federal suit but before the preliminary injunction was issued and where it is held that none of the three express exceptions in the Anti-Injunction Act applies. In granting the preliminary injunctive relief, the trial judge relied primarily upon Barancik v. Investors…