Harley v. Contra Costa County Children and Family Services

Opinion

NOT FOR PUBLICATION FILED UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS JUN 26 2026 MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK

U.S. COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT

RAOUL E. HARLEY, Jr., No. 25-2883 D.C. No. 2:24-cv-03059-TLN-JDP Plaintiff - Appellant,

v. MEMORANDUM*

CONTRA COSTA CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES,

Defendant - Appellee.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California Troy L. Nunley, District Judge, Presiding

Submitted June 22, 2026** Before: CANBY, BENNETT, and BADE, Circuit Judges.

Raoul E. Harley, Jr. appeals pro se from the district court’s judgment dismissing his action challenging a state court custody order. We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291. We review de novo. Watison v. Carter, 668 F.3d 1108,

*

This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent except as provided by Ninth Circuit Rule 36-3.

**

The panel unanimously concludes this case is suitable for decision without oral argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2).

1112 (9th Cir. 2012) (dismissal under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)); Noel v. Hall, 341 F.3d 1148, 1154 (9th Cir. 2003) (dismissal under the Rooker-Feldman doctrine). We affirm.

The district court properly dismissed Harley’s action as barred by the Rooker-Feldman doctrine because his claims amounted to a forbidden “de facto appeal” of a prior state court judgment or were “inextricably intertwined” with that judgment. Noel, 341 F.3d at 1163-66 (discussing proper application of the Rooker- Feldman doctrine).

Harley’s request, set forth in the opening brief, to file “all associated records under seal” is denied.

AFFIRMED.

2 25-2883