tower glover argued february decided june petitioner tower douglas county public defender represented respondent state robbery trial resulted respondent conviction petitioner babcock oregon state public defender represented respondent unsuccessful appeal least one conviction subsequently respondent filed state petition postconviction relief seeking conviction set aside ground petitioners conspired various state officials including trial appellate judges former attorney general secure respondent conviction following day respondent filed instant action petitioners federal district seeking recover punitive damages basis factual allegations identical made petition district granted petitioners motion dismiss action holding public defenders absolutely immune liability appeals reversed remanded case trial prior appeals decision proceedings came trial resulted finding conspiracy convict respondent held respondent complaint adequately alleges conduct color state law purposes view conspiracy allegations although appointed counsel state criminal prosecution act color state law normal course conducting defense polk county dodson otherwise private person acts color state law engaged conspiracy state officials deprive another federal rights dennis sparks pp state public defenders immune liability intentional misconduct virtue alleged conspiratorial action state officials deprives clients federal rights purposes immunities predicated upon considered inquiry immunity historically accorded relevant official common law interests behind immunity public defenders existed common law predecessor enacted office existence time although public defender reasonably close cousin english barrister although barristers enjoyed century still enjoy broad immunity liability negligent misconduct nevertheless barristers never enjoyed immunity liability intentional misconduct country public defender counterpart privately retained lawyer lawyer enjoyed immunity tort liability intentional misconduct allegedly involved immunity warranted asserted ground public defenders responsibilities similar judge prosecutor enjoy similar immunities order ultimately impair state attempt meet constitutional obligation furnish criminal defendants effective counsel order prevent inundation federal courts frivolous lawsuits congress determine whether litigation become burdensome state federal institutions remedial action appropriate pp open district remand consider whether respondent collaterally estopped action state finding alleged conspiracy never occurred pp delivered opinion burger white powell rehnquist joined first paragraph part iv brennan marshall blackmun stevens joined brennan filed opinion concurring part concurring judgment marshall blackmun stevens joined post dave frohnmayer attorney general oregon argued cause petitioners briefs william gary deputy attorney general james mountain solicitor general michael reynolds william nessly roy pulvers assistant attorneys general craig edwards argued cause respondent brief richard slottee jim smith attorney general mitchell franks james peters eric taylor assistant attorneys general filed brief state florida amicus curiae urging reversal john ransom diane alessi filed brief national association criminal defense lawyers et al amici curiae urging affirmance justice delivered opinion petitioners two public defenders working state oregon petitioner bruce tower douglas county public defender represented respondent billy irl glover one glover state trials robbery charges glover convicted petitioner gary babcock oregon state public defender represented glover glover unsuccessful appeal least one conviction action brought glover alleges petitioners conspired various state officials including trial appellate judges former attorney general oregon secure glover conviction glover seeks neither reversal conviction compensatory damages asks instead million punitive damages awarded petitioner app conclude public defenders immune liability actions brought criminal defendant state public defenders alleged conspired state officials deprive plaintiff federal constitutional rights glover arrested february del norte county cal pet cert glover dolan state california extradited glover benton county december upon arriving oregon glover immediately filed habeas corpus relief federal district seeking apparently stay pending trial hearing petition held january immediate relief denied final disposition federal habeas action glover tried convicted different robbery charges least two oregon state courts one trial trial action directly linked held douglas county circuit case glover represented petitioner tower convicted petitioner babcock represented glover appeal conviction conviction summarily affirmed oregon appeals january oregon glover app second robbery trial trial connection glover filed federal habeas action held benton county circuit case pet cert supra april glover convicted five days later sentenced years prison conviction affirmed april oregon glover app petitioner babcock represented glover appeal well meanwhile december federal magistrate glover habeas petition referred recommended dismissed march district dismissed habeas petition ground glover failed exhaust state remedies glover dolan dist glover gave notice appeal appeals ninth circuit district refused issue certificate probable cause appeals dismissed glover application certificate probable cause july agreeing district glover failed exhaust state remedies glover dolan petition writ certiorari filed glover contended ninth circuit district erred requiring exhaust remedies bringing federal habeas petition denied petition certiorari incarcerated oregon state penitentiary glover initiated new lawsuits attacking conviction simultaneously state federal courts suits proceeded parallel almost three years first december glover filed petition postconviction relief circuit state oregon marion county seeking conviction set aside basis alleged conspiracy lawyers various state officials petition later consolidated petition postconviction relief filed connection glover benton county conviction following day december glover filed action petitioners federal district factual allegations identical made petition indeed glover simply appended copies papers filed state complaint april federal district granted petitioners motion dismiss glover action relying decision appeals ninth circuit held public defenders absolutely immune liability miller barilla app pet cert february consolidated petitions came trial marion county circuit state found conspiracy convict glover therefore denied glover request relief two weeks later march appeals ninth circuit reversed federal district decision remanded trial light decisions ferri ackerman polk county dodson may petitioners filed petition writ certiorari appeals ninth circuit june glover filed notice appeal state oregon appeals consolidated judgment marion county oregon appeals dismissed glover appeal failure prosecute august issued writ certiorari appeals ninth circuit october ii title provides person acts color state law deprive another constitutional rights shall liable suit damages petitioners concede appeals agreed glover conspiracy allegations cast color state law petitioners actions brief petitioners see polk county dodson supra held appointed counsel state criminal prosecution though paid ultimately supervised state act color state law normal course conducting defense see also ferri ackerman supra dennis sparks however held otherwise private person acts color state law engaged conspiracy state officials deprive another federal rights glover alleges petitioners conspired state officials complaint therefore includes adequate allegation conduct color state law iii face admits immunities since consistently recognized substantive doctrines privilege immunity may limit relief available litigation see imbler pachtman pulliam allen recognized absolute immunity legislators acting within legislative roles tenney brandhove judges acting within judicial roles pierson ray prosecutors imbler pachtman supra witnesses briscoe lahue recognized qualified immunity state executive officers school officials see scheuer rhodes wood strickland section immunities predicated upon considered inquiry immunity historically accorded relevant official common law interests behind imbler pachtman supra pulliam allen supra official accorded immunity tort actions common law civil rights act enacted next considers whether history purposes nonetheless counsel recognizing immunity actions see imbler pachtman supra briscoe lahue supra using framework conclude public defenders immunity liability intentional misconduct type alleged immunity public defenders existed common law course office position existence time first public defender program reportedly established mounts public defender programs professional responsibility competent representation rev inquiry however stop immunities country regularly borrowed english precedents public defender reasonably close cousin english barrister like public defenders barristers free pick choose clients thought formal contractual relationship clients incapable suing clients fee see rondel worsley kaus mallen misguiding hand counsel reflections criminal malpractice ucla rev nn therefore noteworthy english barristers enjoyed century still today broad immunity liability negligent misconduct rondel worsley supra recent decision house lords traces immunity origins present nevertheless appears even barristers never enjoyed immunity liability intentional misconduct opinion lord pearson intentional misconduct concerns us country public defender counterpart privately retained lawyer petitioners suggest lawyer enjoyed immunity tort liability intentional misconduct cf baker humphrey von wallhoffen newcombe hun sup hoopes burnett miss pattern continued petitioners concede oregon state practice given indication statute appellate decision public defenders immune state tort law liability intentional misconduct indeed state appellate courts addressed question public defender immunity none knowledge concluded public defenders enjoy immunity intentional misconduct true common law defense counsel benefited immunity defamatory statements made course judicial proceedings see imbler pachtman supra white concurring judgment immunity covered conspiracy defense counsel state officials secure defendant conviction finally petitioners contend public defenders responsibilities similar judge prosecutor therefore enjoy similar immunities threat actions based alleged conspiracies among defense counsel state officials may deter counsel engaging activities require degree cooperation prosecutors negotiating pleas expediting trials appeals ultimately petitioners argue state attempt meet constitutional obligation furnish criminal defendants effective counsel impaired time federal courts may inundated frivolous lawsuits petitioners concerns may well founded remedy petitioners urge us adopt license establish immunities actions interests judge sound public policy congress determine whether litigation become burdensome state federal institutions remedial action appropriate conclude state public defenders immune liability intentional misconduct color state law virtue alleged conspiratorial action state officials deprives clients federal rights iv already described supra glover already one day indeed familiar delicate intricacies jurisdiction might characterize glover successful initiation prosecution entirely parallel duplicative state federal actions great waste judicial resources appears least glover exhausted defaulted opportunities conviction set aside basis alleged conspiracy among lawyers state officials therefore occasion decide federal district abstain deciding suit damages stemming unlawful conviction pending collateral exhaustion attacks conviction cf younger harris federal may enjoin ongoing criminal proceeding preiser rodriguez action injunctive relief may used bypass exhaustion requirements federal habeas corpus action juidice vail occasion determine whether damages action may engage younger principles patsy florida board regents white concurring part defendant civil administrative enforcement proceeding may enjoin sidetrack proceeding resorting action federal open district remand consider whether glover collaterally estopped action state finding conspiracy alleged glover complaint never occurred allen mccurry see supra judgment appeals ninth circuit affirmed case remanded proceedings consistent opinion ordered footnotes pet cert glover dolan glover dolan supra note glover complaint filed december asserts glover begun lawsuits state federal dealing facts involved action otherwise relating imprisonment app statement apparently accurate glover signed complaint ceased complaint actually filed federal district reference decisions federal district appeals parallel proceedings progress state courts findings fact marion county stated trial judge act prejudice petitioner trial judge arbitrarily exclude evidence witnesses trial judge participate conspiracy petitioner trial counsel petitioner afforded effective assistance trial counsel trial counsel adequately prepared trial securing necessary evidence witnesses petitioner afforded effective assistance appellate counsel windsor gibson app donigan finn app reese danforth spring constantino see scott city niagara falls misc sup public defenders enjoy immunity discretionary decisions taken pursuance duties public defenders see meadows evans aff en banc cert denied martin merola guerro mulhearn alexander emerson justice brennan justice marshall justice blackmun justice stevens join concurring part concurring judgment agree fully judgment reasoning used arrive conclusion ordinarily complete agreement make writing quite unnecessary ordinary case although issue never raised parties although properly concedes issue absolutely bearing disposition case nevertheless seen fit observe ha occasion decide whether federal courts abstain deciding state prisoner suit damages stemming unlawful conviction pending prisoner exhaustion collateral challenges conviction ante reasons occasion decide question clear enough question never pressed passed upon never briefed argued respondent glover already exhausted remedies issue bearing whatsoever proper resolution controversy called upon decide accordingly join opinion except unnecessary paragraph beginning part iv