Douglas Joseph Peterson v. Bruce Babbitt

How courts have described this case

Verbatim parenthetical descriptions written by other courts when citing this decision. Ranked by citation-network relevance.

• explaining that “the whole subject of domestic relations and particularly child custody problems is generally considered a state law matter” in which “federal abstention” is appropriate
• finding abstention appropriate 14 despite the presence of constitutional issues where the plaintiff sought visitation with children 15 who were wards of the state court
• noting the “strong state interest in domestic relations matters” and “the superior 3 competence of state courts in settling family disputes because regulation and supervision of 4 domestic relations within their borders is entrusted to the states”
• “[F]ederal courts have 23 uniformly held that they should not adjudicate cases involving domestic relations, including the custody of minors and a fortiori, the rights of visitation.”
• “[F]ederal courts have 23 uniformly held that they should not adjudicate cases involving domestic relations, including the custody of minors and a fortiori, the rights of visitation.” (internal quote omitted)
• 'There is no subject matter jurisdiction over these types of domestic disputes.'

Source: CourtListener parenthetical corpus (CC0).