Dennis R. Nelson, Plaintiff-appellant, v. Terri L. Nelson, Aka Terri L. Martin; State of Oregon;state of Washington, Defendants-appellees, 78 F.3d 594 (9th Cir. 1996)

MEMORANDUM^** 

Dennis R. Nelson appeals pro se the district court's dismissal for failure to state a claim of his 42 U.S.C. § 1983 action against his former spouse, the State of Oregon and the State of Washington. We have jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1291, and we affirm because the district court lacked subject matter jurisdiction over Nelson's action.

Federal district courts lack subject matter jurisdiction to review the final determinations of a state court in judicial proceedings. Branson v. Nott, 62 F.3d 287, 291 (9th Cir. 1995). "This is true even when the challenge to a state court decision involves federal constitutional issues." Id.

In his complaint, Nelson challenges a Domestic Relations Dissolution Decree entered by the Douglas County (Oregon) Circuit Court. The district court lacked subject matter jurisdiction to review Nelson's impermissible collateral attack on a prior state court decision. See id. at 291-92; McKay v. Pfeil, 827 F.2d 540, 544-45 (9th Cir. 1987). We therefore affirm the district court's dismissal of Nelson's action.

AFFIRMED.