Filed: May 08, 2012
Latest Update: Feb. 12, 2020
Summary: FILED United States Court of Appeals Tenth Circuit UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS May 8, 2012 TENTH CIRCUIT Elisabeth A. Shumaker Clerk of Court FAROUK MEHIO, Plaintiff–Appellant, No. 11-4209 v. (D.C. No. 2:11-CV-00552-SA) (D. Utah) KEITH D. SONNTAG, D.D.S., M.S, Defendant–Appellee. ORDER AND JUDGMENT* Before LUCERO, O’BRIEN, and MATHESON, Circuit Judges. Farouk Mehio filed a pro se complaint in federal district court alleging that his dentist, Keith Sonntag, improperly charged him for dental wo
Summary: FILED United States Court of Appeals Tenth Circuit UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS May 8, 2012 TENTH CIRCUIT Elisabeth A. Shumaker Clerk of Court FAROUK MEHIO, Plaintiff–Appellant, No. 11-4209 v. (D.C. No. 2:11-CV-00552-SA) (D. Utah) KEITH D. SONNTAG, D.D.S., M.S, Defendant–Appellee. ORDER AND JUDGMENT* Before LUCERO, O’BRIEN, and MATHESON, Circuit Judges. Farouk Mehio filed a pro se complaint in federal district court alleging that his dentist, Keith Sonntag, improperly charged him for dental wor..
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FILED
United States Court of Appeals
Tenth Circuit
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
May 8, 2012
TENTH CIRCUIT
Elisabeth A. Shumaker
Clerk of Court
FAROUK MEHIO,
Plaintiff–Appellant,
No. 11-4209
v. (D.C. No. 2:11-CV-00552-SA)
(D. Utah)
KEITH D. SONNTAG, D.D.S., M.S,
Defendant–Appellee.
ORDER AND JUDGMENT*
Before LUCERO, O’BRIEN, and MATHESON, Circuit Judges.
Farouk Mehio filed a pro se complaint in federal district court alleging that his
dentist, Keith Sonntag, improperly charged him for dental work. In screening the case
pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B), the district court concluded it lacked subject
matter jurisdiction and accordingly dismissed. Mehio now appeals. Exercising
* The case is unanimously ordered submitted without oral argument pursuant to
Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2) and 10th Cir. R. 34.1(G). This order and judgment is not
binding precedent, except under the doctrines of law of the case, res judicata, and
collateral estoppel. The court generally disfavors the citation of orders and judgments;
nevertheless, an order and judgment may be cited under the terms and conditions of 10th
Cir. R. 32.1.
jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291, we affirm.
We review de novo a district court’s dismissal for lack of subject matter
jurisdiction. See Tsosie v. United States,
452 F.3d 1161, 1163 (10th Cir. 2006).
Construed liberally, see Haines v. Kerner,
404 U.S. 519, 520 (1972), Mehio’s complaint
appears to assert a common law fraud claim. Such a claim does not establish federal
question jurisdiction because it does not “aris[e] under the Constitution, laws, or treaties
of the United States.” 28 U.S.C. § 1331. Nor does the complaint satisfy the requirements
of diversity jurisdiction. Mehio admits that all parties are domiciled in Utah and does not
seek $75,000 in relief. See 28 U.S.C. § 1332.
On appeal, Mehio argues that the district court prematurely dismissed his
complaint. But 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B)(ii) directs that a district court “shall dismiss
the case at any time if the court determines that . . . the action . . . fails to state a claim on
which relief may be granted.” Given the clear jurisdictional defect, the district court
correctly held that it could not grant relief.
For the foregoing reasons, the judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED. We
DENY all pending motions as moot.
Entered for the Court
Carlos F. Lucero
Circuit Judge
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