MBE Rules · Constitutional Law
Abstention — Younger & Pullman
Younger v. Harris / R.R. Comm'n v. Pullman
The rule
Under Younger, federal courts must abstain from enjoining pending state criminal proceedings (and certain civil enforcement and contempt proceedings) absent bad faith, harassment, or a patently unconstitutional statute. Under Pullman, federal courts should abstain when an unclear state-law question could moot or reshape a federal constitutional question.
In plain English
Two flavors of judicial 'stay out' doctrine. Younger = don't interfere with ongoing state prosecutions. Pullman = let state courts clarify ambiguous state law first so we can avoid a constitutional ruling.
The trap
Applying Younger to already-completed state proceedings, or to civil suits not involving important state interests.
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