No. 19-7704October Term 2019Decided Apr 20, 2020
Massengale v. Municipality of Anchorage
Massengale asked the justices to revisit whether federal courts could hear his disability-rights claims, but the materials here do not show a Supreme Court merits opinion.
Case status
- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Apr 20, 2020
- What it's about
The petitioner is asking the Supreme Court to review a lower court decision involving the Municipality of Anchorage, while also requesting permission to proceed without paying standard filing fees due to financial hardship.
Question presented
1. Whether the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals erred in affirming the District Court's dismissal of Petitioner's complaint for lack of subject matter jurisdiction under the Rooker-Feldman doctrine? 2. Whether the lower courts erred in failing to recognize that the Petitioner's claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act were independent of the state court judgment? 3. Whether the lower courts' application of the Rooker-Feldman doctrine violated the Petitioner's right to due process and access to the courts?
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit / Decision released Apr 20, 2020
- Area
Decided Supreme Court case
Briefing
What it's about
Kevin Massengale asked the Supreme Court to review a Ninth Circuit decision that dismissed his suit against the Municipality of Anchorage for lack of subject matter jurisdiction (a court's power to hear a case). He said his claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act were independent of a state-court judgment, but the provided record does not include a Supreme Court merits opinion.
Impact
The case highlights how hard it can be for people to bring disability-rights claims in federal court after related state-court proceedings. For example, someone who says a city violated the ADA may first have to fight over whether a federal judge can hear the case at all.
What's next
This Supreme Court docket action is finished. The Ninth Circuit decision is the last explained ruling identified in the provided record.
What was the dispute in Massengale v. Municipality of Anchorage?
Massengale asked the justices to review the Ninth Circuit's decision that his suit could not go forward in federal court. He said his ADA and Rehabilitation Act claims were independent from a state-court judgment.
Who could be affected by the issues raised in this case?
People suing cities or other local governments under disability-rights laws could be affected. The case centers on whether federal courts can hear those claims after related state-court proceedings.
What happens next in Massengale v. Municipality of Anchorage?
Nothing more is scheduled in this Supreme Court docket. The provided record shows the Court finished the case without a merits opinion described here.
Decision
What the Court decided
Massengale asked the justices to revisit whether federal courts could hear his disability-rights claims, but the materials here do not show a Supreme Court merits opinion.
Impact
The case highlights how hard it can be for people to bring disability-rights claims in federal court after related state-court proceedings. For example, someone who says a city violated the ADA may first have to fight over whether a federal judge can hear the case at all.
Not official Court text.
Timing
Decided April 20, 2020
The Court released its decision on April 20, 2020 without hearing oral argument.
Related cases
Grounding
- Grounding
- Primary materials plus reporting.
- Note
- Best-effort analysis: this explainer relies on a mix of primary materials and trusted secondary sources. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.
- Checked
- Jul 25, 2026
- Method
- Methodology