No. 18-903

Robbie Perry, et al. v. Coles County, Illinois

Lower Court: Seventh Circuit
Docketed: 2019-01-11
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Amici (1)Response Waived Experienced Counsel
Tags: 28-usc-2201 comity-doctrine declaratory-relief equal-protection equal-protection-clause equitable-jurisdiction property-tax property-tax-assessment state-court-remedies
Key Terms:
SocialSecurity DueProcess Takings
Latest Conference: 2019-02-15
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Did the Seventh Circuit err under the exception to the comity doctrine by holding Illinois state court remedies 'adequate' and 'complete' even though Illinois courts bar the equitable jurisdiction legally required to consider claims for prospective declaratory relief under 28 U.S.C. § 2201?

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

QUESTION PRESENTED The Court has previously stated an exception to the comity doctrine: local taxpayers with Equal Protection Clause property tax claims are remitted to their state court remedies, but only “if their federal rights will not thereby be lost.” Fair Assessment in Real Estate Ass’n, Inc. v. McNary, 454 U.S. 100, 116 n.8 (1981). Comity applies when state court remedies are “plain, adequate, and complete.” Jd. at 116. Under 28 U.S.C. § 2201, petitioners have a federal right to claim prospective declaratory relief for Equal Protection Clause violations challenging Illinois property-tax assessments in future years. But, Illinois has a “well-established proposition that under Illinois law, equitable jurisdiction is not available for property tax relief when there is an adequate remedy of law.” Perry v. Coles County, 906 F.3d 583, 589 (7th Cir. 2018). So, when the Seventh Circuit affirmed the district court’s dismissal of petitioners’ claims, petitioners lost their federal right to claim prospective declaratory relief under § 2201 because petitioners were unable to obtain that relief from either state or federal court. See id. at 589-90. Did the Seventh Circuit err under the exception to the comity doctrine by holding Illinois state court remedies “adequate” and “complete” even though Illinois courts bar the equitable jurisdiction legally required to consider claims for prospective declaratory relief under 28 U.S.C. § 2201?

Docket Entries

2019-02-19
Petition DENIED.
2019-02-11
Brief amicus curiae of Association for Government Accountability filed. (Distributed)
2019-01-30
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/15/2019.
2019-01-21
Waiver of right of respondent Coles County, Illinois to respond filed.
2019-01-09
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due February 11, 2019)

Attorneys

Association for Government Accountability
James Vincent Francis DickeyBernick Lifson, P.A., Amicus
Coles County, Illinois
Craig Leonard UnrathHeyl, Royster, et al., Respondent
Robbie Perry, et al.
Erick G. KaardalMohrman, Kaardal & Erickson P.A., Petitioner