sprint communications jacobs et argued november decided december sprint communications sprint national telecommunications service provider withheld payment intercarrier access fees imposed windstream iowa communications windstream local telecommunications carrier long distance voice internet protocol voip calls concluding telecommunications act preempted intrastate regulation voip traffic windstream responded threatening block sprint customer calls led sprint ask iowa utilities board iub enjoin windstream discontinuing service sprint windstream retracted threat sprint moved withdraw complaint concerned dispute recur iub continued proceedings order resolve question whether voip calls subject intrastate regulation rejecting sprint argument question governed federal law iub ruled intrastate fees applied voip calls sprint sued respondents iub members collectively iub federal district seeking declaration telecommunications act preempted iub decision relief sprint sought injunction enforcement iub order sprint also sought review iub order iowa state reiterating preemption argument made sprint complaint asserting several claims invoking younger harris federal district abstained adjudicating sprint complaint deference parallel proceeding eighth circuit affirmed district abstention decision concluding younger abstention required ongoing review concerned iowa important interest regulating enforcing state utility rates held case fall within three classes exceptional cases younger abstention appropriate pp district jurisdiction decide whether federal law preempted iub decision see verizon md public serv thus virtually unflagging obligation hear decide case colorado river water conservation dist younger recognized exception obligation cases parallel pending state criminal proceeding extended younger abstention particular state civil proceedings akin criminal prosecutions see huffman pursue implicate state interest enforcing orders judgments courts see pennzoil texaco reaffirmed exceptional circumstances justify federal refusal decide case deference new orleans public service council city new orleans nopsi nopsi identified three exceptional circumstances first younger precludes federal intrusion ongoing state criminal prosecutions see second certain civil enforcement proceedings warrant younger abstention ibid finally federal courts refrain interfering pending civil proceedings involving certain orders uniquely furtherance state courts ability perform judicial functions ibid applied younger outside three exceptional categories rules accord nopsi define younger scope pp initial iub proceeding fall within nopsi three exceptional categories therefore trigger younger abstention first third categories plainly accommodate iub proceeding civil criminal character touch state ability perform judicial function iub order act civil enforcement kind younger extended iub proceeding akin criminal prosecution huffman initiated state sovereign capacity trainor hernandez sanction sprint wrongful act see middlesex county ethics comm garden state bar rather action initiated sprint private corporation state authority conducted investigation sprint activities lodged formal complaint sprint sprint withdrew complaint commenced administrative proceedings iub argues proceedings became essentially civil enforcement action however iub adjudicative authority invoked settle civil dispute two private parties sanction sprint wrongful act holding abstention proper course eighth circuit misinterpreted decision middlesex mean younger abstention warranted whenever ongoing state judicial proceeding implicates important state interests provide adequate opportunity raise federal challenges middlesex invoked younger bar federal entertaining lawyer challenge state ethics committee pending investigation lawyer unlike iub proceeding however state ethics committee hearing middlesex plainly akin criminal proceeding investigation formal complaint preceded hearing agency state initiated hearing hearing purpose determine whether lawyer disciplined failing meet state professional conduct standards three middlesex conditions invoked appeals therefore dispositive instead additional factors appropriately considered federal invoking younger younger extends three exceptional circumstances identified nopsi pp reversed ginsburg delivered opinion unanimous opinion notice opinion subject formal revision publication preliminary print reports readers requested notify reporter decisions washington typographical formal errors order corrections may made preliminary print goes press sprint communications petitioner elizabeth jacobs et al writ certiorari appeals eighth circuit december justice ginsburg delivered opinion case involves two proceedings one pending state federal seeks review iowa utilities board iub board order presents question whether windstream iowa communications windstream local telecommunications carrier may impose sprint communications sprint intrastate access charges telephone calls transported via internet jurisdiction controversies kind confirmed verizon md public serv invoking younger harris district southern district iowa abstained adjudicating sprint complaint deference parallel proceeding appeals eighth circuit affirmed district abstention decision reverse judgment appeals main federal courts obliged decide cases within scope federal jurisdiction abstention order simply pending proceeding involves subject matter new orleans public service council city new orleans nopsi doctrine pendency state judicial proceedings excludes federal recognized however certain instances prospect undue interference state proceedings counsels federal relief see younger exemplifies one class cases abstention required parallel pending state criminal proceeding federal courts must refrain enjoining state prosecution extended younger abstention particular state civil proceedings akin criminal prosecutions see huffman pursue implicate state interest enforcing orders judgments courts see pennzoil texaco cautioned however federal courts ordinarily entertain resolve merits action within scope jurisdictional grant refus decide case deference nopsi circumstances fitting within younger doctrine stressed exceptional include catalogued nopsi state criminal prosecutions civil enforcement proceedings civil proceedings involving certain orders uniquely furtherance state courts ability perform judicial functions case presents none circumstances ranked exceptional general rule governs pendency action state bar proceedings concerning matter federal jurisdiction colorado river water conservation dist quoting mcclellan carland sprint national telecommunications service provider long paid intercarrier access fees iowa communications company windstream formerly iowa telecom certain long distance calls placed sprint customers windstream customers however sprint decided withhold payment subset calls classified voice internet protocol voip concluding telecommunications act preempted intrastate regulation voip response windstream threatened block calls sprint customers sprint filed complaint windstream iub asking board enjoin windstream discontinuing service sprint sprint view iowa law entitled withhold payment contested access charges prohibited windstream carrying disconnection threat answer sprint complaint windstream retracted threat discontinue serving sprint sprint moved successfully withdraw complaint conflict sprint windstream voip calls likely recur however iub decided continue proceedings resolve underlying legal question whether voip calls subject intrastate regulation order sprint communications iowa telecommunications iub iub order question retained iub sprint argued governed federal law within iub adjudicative jurisdiction iub disagreed ruling intrastate fees applied voip seeking overturn board ruling sprint commenced two lawsuits first sprint sued members iub respondents official capacities district southern district iowa complaint sprint sought declaration telecommunications act preempted iub decision relief sprint requested injunction enforcement iub order second sprint petitioned review iub order iowa state state petition reiterated preemption argument sprint made complaint addition sprint asserted state law procedural due process claims eighth circuit precedent effectively required plaintiff exhaust state remedies proceeding federal see alleghany mccartney sprint urges filed state suit protective measure failing sprint explains risked losing opportunity obtain review federal state federal decide abstain expiration iowa statute limitations see brief petitioner sprint anticipated iub filed motion asking federal district abstain light state suit citing younger harris district granted iub motion dismissed suit iub decision pending review district said composed one uninterruptible process implicating important state interests ground ruled younger abstention order sprint communications berntsen sd iowa app pet cert part eighth circuit agreed district judgment appeals rejected argument accepted several sister courts younger abstention appropriate parallel state proceedings coercive rather remedial nature cf roceedings must coercive cases order warrant instead eighth circuit read precedent require younger abstention whenever ongoing state judicial proceeding implicates important state interests state proceedings provide adequate opportunity raise federal challenges citing middlesex county ethics comm garden state bar criteria satisfied appeals held ongoing review iub decision concerned iowa important state interest regulating enforcing intrastate utility rates recognizing possibility parties might return federal however appeals vacated judgment dismissing sprint complaint lieu dismissal eighth circuit remanded case instructing district enter stay pendency action granted certiorari decide whether consistent delineation cases encompassed younger doctrine abstention appropriate ii neither party questioned district jurisdiction decide whether federal law preempted iub decision rightly verizon md public serv reviewed similar challenge state administrative adjudication case party seeking review state agency decision urged telecommunications act preempted state action doubt federal courts ha federal question jurisdiction entertain suit nothing telecommunications act detracted conclusion see federal courts early famously said right decline exercise jurisdiction given usurp given cohens virginia wheat jurisdiction existing cautioned federal obligation hear decide case virtually unflagging colorado river water conservation dist parallel proceedings detract obligation see ibid younger recognized exception general rule new orleans public service council city new orleans nopsi plaintiff younger sought adjudication constitutionality california criminal syndicalism act requesting injunction act enforcement plaintiff time defendant pending state criminal prosecution act circumstances said federal decline enjoin prosecution absent bad faith harassment patently invalid state statute see abstention order explained basic doctrine equity jurisprudence courts equity act restrain criminal prosecution moving party adequate remedy law suffer irreparably injury denied equitable relief estraining equity jurisdiction within narrow limits observed prevent erosion role jury avoid duplication legal proceedings legal sanctions explained well doctrine reinforced notion proper respect state functions ibid since applied younger bar federal relief certain civil actions huffman pursue pathmarking decision ohio officials brought civil action state abate showing obscene movies pursue theater state party proceeding aid closely related state criminal statutes held younger abstention appropriate recently nopsi occasion review restate younger jurisprudence nopsi addressed rejected argument federal refuse exercise jurisdiction review state council ratemaking decision nly exceptional circumstances reaffirmed justify federal refusal decide case deference ibid exceptional circumstances exist determined surveying prior decisions three types proceedings first younger precluded federal intrusion ongoing state criminal prosecutions see ibid second certain civil enforcement proceedings warranted abstention ibid citing huffman finally federal courts refrained interfering pending civil proceedings involving certain orders uniquely furtherance state courts ability perform judicial functions citing juidice vail pennzoil texaco applied younger outside three exceptional categories today hold accord nopsi define younger scope iub assert iowa state review board decision considered alone implicates younger rather initial administrative proceeding justifies staying action federal iub contends state review process concluded argument advanced nopsi assume without deciding nopsi administrative adjudication subsequent state review count unitary process younger purposes question remains however whether initial iub proceeding sort entitled younger treatment ibid iub proceeding conclude fall within three exceptional categories described nopsi therefore trigger younger abstention first third categories plainly accommodate iub proceeding proceeding civil criminal character touch state ability perform judicial function cf juidice civil contempt order pennzoil requirement posting bond pending appeal iub order rank act civil enforcement kind younger extended decisions applying younger instances civil enforcement generally concerned state proceedings akin criminal prosecution important respects huffman see also middlesex younger abstention appropriate noncriminal proceedings bear close relationship proceedings criminal nature enforcement actions characteristically initiated sanction federal plaintiff party challenging state action wrongful act see middlesex disciplinary proceedings lawyer violation state ethics rules cases genre state actor routinely party state proceeding often initiates action see ohio civil rights dayton christian schools administrative proceedings enforce state civil rights laws moore sims proceeding gain custody children allegedly abused parents trainor hernandez civil proceeding brought state sovereign capacity recover welfare payments defendants allegedly obtained fraud huffman proceeding enforce obscenity laws investigations commonly involved often culminating filing formal complaint charges see dayton noting preliminary investigation complaint middlesex iub proceeding resemble state enforcement actions found appropriate younger abstention akin criminal prosecution huffman initiated state sovereign capacity trainor private corporation sprint initiated action state authority conducted investigation sprint activities state actor lodged formal complaint sprint brief iub emphasizes sprint decision withdraw complaint commenced proceedings board point iub argues sprint longer willing participant proceedings became essentially civil enforcement action see brief respondents iub adjudicative authority however invoked settle civil dispute two private parties sanction sprint commission wrongful act although sprint withdrew complaint administrative efficiency misconduct sprint prompted iub answer underlying federal question determining intercarrier compensation regime applicable voip calls iub sought avoid renewed litigation parties dispute underlying legal question remained unsettled board observed controversy likely recur iub order nothing suggests iub proceeding akin criminal prosecution civil cases huffman holding abstention proper course eighth circuit relied heavily decision middlesex younger abstention warranted appeals read middlesex say whenever three conditions met ongoing state judicial proceeding implicates important state interests provide adequate opportunity raise federal challenges citing middlesex iub endorsed eighth circuit approach brief respondents appeals iub attribute decision middlesex extraordinary breadth invoked younger middlesex bar federal entertaining lawyer challenge new jersey state ethics committee pending investigation lawyer unlike iub proceeding state ethics committee hearing middlesex indeed akin criminal proceeding noted investigation formal complaint preceded hearing agency state initiated hearing purpose hearing determine whether lawyer disciplined failure meet state standards professional conduct see also brennan concurring judgment noting nature bar disciplinary proceedings three middlesex conditions recited dispositive instead additional factors appropriately considered federal invoking younger divorced context three middlesex conditions extend younger virtually parallel state federal proceedings least party identify plausibly important state interest see tr oral arg result irreconcilable dominant instruction even presence parallel state proceedings abstention exercise federal jurisdiction exception rule hawaii housing authority midkiff quoting colorado river short guide federal courts today clarify affirm younger extends three exceptional circumstances identified nopsi reasons stated judgment appeals eighth circuit reversed footnotes federal communications commission yet provide view whether telecommunications act categorically preempts intrastate access charges voip calls see connect america fund fcc rcd reserving question whether voip calls must subject exclusively federal regulation conclusion iub proceedings sprint paid windstream contested fees convenience refer respondents collectively iub since granted certiorari iowa state issued opinion rejecting sprint preemption claim merits sprint communications iowa utils app joint supp brief iowa dist iowa decision parties view moot case see joint supp brief agree sprint intends appeal decision controversy remains live exxon mobil saudi basic industries iub agrees sprint decision burford sun oil independently sustain eighth circuit abstention analysis see brief respondents cf new orleans public service council city new orleans determine whether state proceeding enforcement action younger several courts appeals noted see supra inquire whether underlying state proceeding coercive rather remedial see devlin kalm though referenced dichotomy see ohio civil rights dayton christian schools find inquiry necessary inevitably helpful given susceptibility designations manipulation