United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Rooker v. Fidelity Trust Co., 263 U.S. 413 (1923)

Rooker v. Fidelity Trust Company

No. 295

Motion to dismiss or affirm submitted November 26, 1923

Decided December 10, 1923

263 U.S. 413

Syllabus

1. Where a judgment has been rendered, after due hearing, by a state trial court, with jurisdiction of the subject matter and parties, and affirmed by the state supreme court, the only resort under the

Page 263 U. S. 414

legislation of Congress for correction of errors in deciding questions involving the Constitution is to the appellate jurisdiction of this Court. P. 263 U. S. 415.

2. The district court has no jurisdiction of a suit brought there by the party who was defeated in the state court against his successful opponent, all citizens of the same state, to set aside the judgment a void because of errors alleged to have been committed by the state courts in deciding constitutional questions. P. 263 U. S. 416.

3. A judge is not disqualified to sit in a case involving the duties of a corporation under a conventional trust merely because of being one of the executors and trustees to whom shares of stock in corporations holding property under like trusts have passed for administration and disposal under a will. P. 263 U. S. 417.

Affirmed.

Appeal from a decree of the district court which dismissed a bill for want of jurisdiction.