Plain-English summary
To decide if Rooker-Feldman bars federal suits while state appeals remain available
The Court will decide whether the Rooker-Feldman doctrine can block a federal lawsuit when the state-court judgment at issue is still subject to further review in state court. The case involves T.M. and the University of Maryland Medical System and was argued in April 2026.
Why this matters
The decision will shape whether people can bring federal claims that relate to ongoing state-court proceedings or judgments that are still subject to state appeals. A ruling for a broad application of Rooker-Feldman could push more disputes into state-court channels and limit access to federal courts; a narrow ruling would preserve more opportunities for federal review of federal claims even when related state-court proceedings are not yet final.
Who may feel it
- Parties in cases that involve both state-court judgments and related federal claims
- Civil litigants pursuing federal constitutional or statutory claims after losing in state court
- Federal and state courts managing parallel or overlapping litigation
- Hospitals and healthcare systems (in this case) and other large institutions involved in state litigation
Key questions
- Does Rooker-Feldman apply when a state-court decision is not final because further review in state court is available?