Daniel Dydzak v. Tani Cantil-Sakauye , 603 F. App'x 622 ( 2015 )


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  •                                                                             FILED
    NOT FOR PUBLICATION                             MAY 18 2015
    MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK
    UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS                       U.S. COURT OF APPEALS
    FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
    DANIEL DAVID DYDZAK,                             No. 12-56960
    Plaintiff - Appellant,           D.C. No. 2:11-cv-05560-JCC
    v.
    MEMORANDUM*
    TANI CANTIL-SAKAUYE; et al.,
    Defendants - Appellees.
    Appeal from the United States District Court
    for the Central District of California
    John C. Coughenour, District Judge, Presiding**
    Submitted May 13, 2015***
    Before:         LEAVY, CALLAHAN, and M. SMITH, Circuit Judges.
    Daniel David Dydzak, a disbarred California attorney, appeals pro se from
    the district court’s judgment dismissing his action alleging constitutional claims
    *
    This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent
    except as provided by 9th Cir. R. 36-3.
    **
    The Honorable John C. Coughenour, United States District Judge for
    the Western District of Washington, sitting by designation under 
    28 U.S.C. § 292
    (b).
    ***
    The panel unanimously concludes this case is suitable for decision
    without oral argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2).
    related to his disbarment, and from its order declaring him a vexatious litigant. We
    have jurisdiction under 
    28 U.S.C. § 1291
    . We review de novo a sua sponte
    dismissal for failure to state a claim. Barrett v. Belleque, 
    544 F.3d 1060
    , 1061 (9th
    Cir. 2008). We affirm.
    The district court properly dismissed Dydzak’s claims against the federal
    judges and California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye because
    they are immune from liability. See Stump v. Sparkman, 
    435 U.S. 349
    , 359 (1978)
    (“A judge is absolutely immune from liability for his judicial acts even if his
    exercise of authority is flawed by the commission of grave procedural errors.”).
    The district court properly dismissed on the basis of the doctrine of res
    judicata Dydzak’s claims against defendants Scott J. Drexel, Joann Remke, the
    California Supreme Court, and California Supreme Court Justices Joyce L.
    Kennard, Marvin R. Baxter, Kathryn M. Werdegar, Ming W. Chin, Carol A.
    Corrigan, and Ronald M. George, because Dydzak alleged nearly identical claims
    related to his disbarment against these defendants in a prior federal action in which
    there was a final judgment on the merits. See Stewart v. U.S. Bancorp, 
    297 F.3d 953
    , 956-57 (9th Cir. 2002) (setting forth elements of res judicata).
    The district court properly dismissed Dydzak’s claims against defendant
    Beth Jay under the doctrine of collateral estoppel because the issues raised in these
    2                                       12-56960
    claims had been previously litigated, and were necessary to the prior judgment.
    See McQuillion v. Schwarzenegger, 
    369 F.3d 1091
    , 1096 (9th Cir. 2004) (a prior
    decision has preclusive effect if the issues at stake are identical, were actually
    litigated by the party against whom preclusion is asserted, and were a critical and
    necessary part of the prior judgment).
    The district court did not abuse its discretion by entering a pre-filing order
    against Dydzak after providing him notice and an opportunity to be heard,
    developing an adequate record for review, making substantive findings regarding
    his frivolous litigation history, and tailoring the restriction narrowly. See Molski v.
    Evergreen Dynasty Corp., 
    500 F.3d 1047
    , 1056, 1057-61 (9th Cir. 2007) (per
    curiam) (setting forth standard of review and discussing factors to consider before
    imposing pre-filing restrictions).
    We reject Dydzak’s contentions that the district court lacked jurisdiction and
    that its proceedings involved extrinsic fraud or fraud upon the court.
    Dydzak’s requests for oral argument, filed on January 26, 2015 and set forth
    in his opening brief, are denied.
    Dydzak’s remaining requests, set forth in his opening brief, are denied.
    All pending motions are denied.
    AFFIRMED.
    3                                     12-56960