Salma AGHA-KHAN, M.D., AKA Salma H. Agha, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. UNITED STATES of America; et al., Defendants-Appellees.
No. 16-15164
United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.
Submitted March 8, 2017
Filed March 20, 2017
Salma Agha-Khan, M.D., Pro Se
Philip Andrew Scarborough, Attorney, USSAC—Office of the US Attorney, Sacramento, CA, for Defendants-Appellees United States of America, Fredrick E. Clement, Richard Lee
Lester Scott Bruggemann, Attorney, Wolfe & Wyman, LLP, Sacramento, CA, for Defendants-Appellees CitiMortgage, Inc., CitiBank,.NA, Wolfe & Wyman LLP, Brian H. Gunn, Andrew A. Bao, Heather S. Kim
Denae Hildebrand Budde, Principal Litigation, Ellen P. Rosenbluth, Senior Counsel, Budde Law Group, APLC, Walnut Creek, CA, for Defendants-Appellees Placer Title Company, Jodie Goodman, Patricia Laffin-Mikc|, Theresa Roberts, Mother Lode Holding Company
Zachary S. Tolson, Esquire, Attorney, Goodman Neuman Hamilton LLP, Sail Francisco, CA, for Defendant-Appellee Gary Grossman
Catherine E. Bennett, Esquire, Attorney, David J. Cooper, Esquire, Attorney, Klein, DeNatale, Goldner, Cooper, Rosen-lieb & Kimball, LLP, Bakersfield, CA, for Defendants-Appellees Jeffrey M. Vetter, Lisa Holder, Barry Lee Goldner, Connie Parker, David J. Cooper, Klein DeNatale Goldner Cooper Rosenlieb & Kimball, LLP
Paul L. Gale, Attorney, Troutman Sanders LLP, Irvine, CA, Lisa Nobles, Attorney, Kelly & Walker LLC, Denver, CO, for Defendants-Appellees RE/MAX LLC, RE/MAX Holdings, Inc.
Eddie R. Jimenez, Pite Duncan, LLP, San Diego, CA, for Defendant-Appellee CR Title Services, Inc.
Eddie R. Jimenez, Pite Duncan, LLP, San Diego, CA, Timothy R. Pomeroy, Al-dridge Pite, LLP, San Diego, CA, for Defendants-Appellees Pite Duncan, LLP, Eddie R. Jimenez, Brian A. Paino, Michael J. Krahenbuhl
Before: LEAVY, W. FLETCHER, and OWENS, Circuit Judges.
The panel unanimously concludes this case is suitable for decision without oral argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2).
[MAJORITY]
MEMORANDUM
Salma Agha-Khan; a.k.a. Salma H, Khan, appeals pro se from the district court’s order dismissing her action alleging federal and state law claims arising out of bankruptcy and foreclosure proceedings. We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291. We review de novo the district court’s dismissal under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6). Cervantes v. Countrywide Home Loans, Inc., 656 F.3d 1034, 1040 (9th Cir. 2011). We may affirm on any basis supported by the record. Thompson v. Paul, 547 F.3d 1055, 1058-59 (9th Cir. 2008). We affirm.
The district court properly dismissed Agha-Khan’s claims against Jeffrey M. Vetter, David J. Cooper, Barry Lee Goldner, Lisa A. Holder, Connie Parker, and Klein DeNatale Goldner Cooper Ro-senlieb & Kimball, LLP, as barred by the litigation privilege. See Cal. Civ. Code § 47(b); Graham-Suit v. Clainos, 756 F.3d 724, 741-42 (9th Cir. 2014) (discussing California’s litigation privilege).
Dismissal of Agha-Khan’s claims against CitiMortgage Inc., CitiBank, NA, RE/MAX Holdings, Inc., and RE/MAX LLC was proper because they are barred by res judicata, as Agha-Khan raised, or could have raised, these claims in a prior federal action in which there was a final judgment on the merits. See Stewart v. U.S. Bancorp, 297 F.3d 953, 956-57 (9th Cir. 2002) (setting forth the elements of the doctrine of res judicata, and explaining that res judicata bars “any claims that were raised or could have been raised” in a prior action).
The district court did not abuse its discretion in dismissing Agha-Khan’s complaint without leave to amend because amendment would be futile. See Chappel v. Lab. Corp. of Am., 232 F.3d 719, 725-26 (9th Cir. 2000) (setting forth standard of review and explaining that denial of leave to amend is proper when amendment would be futile).
The district court did not abuse its discretion in denying Agha-Khan’s motions seeking disqualification of all judges of the Eastern District of California and a transfer of the action to the Central District of California because Agha-Khan failed to establish grounds for such relief. See United States v. Johnson, 610 F.3d 1138, 1147 (9th Cir. 2010) (setting forth standard of review and grounds for recusal); Jones v. GNC Franchising, Inc., 211 F.3d 495, 498 (9th Cir. 2000) (setting forth standard of review and grounds for a change of venue).
We reject as unsupported by the record Agha-Khan’s contentions concerning the district court’s application of Rule 8(a) and the alleged bias and improper conduct of the district court judge.
We do not consider matters not specifically and distinctly raised and argued in the opening brief, or arguments and allegations raised for the first time on appeal. See Padgett v. Wright, 587 F.3d 983, 985 n.2 (9th Cir. 2009).
All pending requests are denied.
AFFIRMED.
⅞⅛ disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent except as provided by Ninth Circuit Rule 36-3.