Bruce Dickerson Stevens v. Security Pacific National Bank, Bruce Dickerson Stevens v. Kindel & Anderson

ORDER DISMISSING APPEAL

In January 1972 Stevens, appearing in propria persona, filed a complaint in the District of Nevada, alleging a conspiracy to annul his marriage to T. Marie Dunbar Chilton and deny his claims to her estate. Named as defendants were various judges, lawyers, witnesses, and others connected with conservatorship and probate proceedings which occurred in the California state courts. See In re Chilton, 8 Cal.App.3d 34 , 86 Cal.Rptr. 860 (1970). The only defendant served outside of California was Delwin Potter, the Nevada justice of the peace who allegedly performed the marriage in question. Stevens sought $50 million in general damages and $50 million in punitive damages.

In February 1972 Stevens filed a complaint against some of the above defendants, regarding the allegedly defamatory remarks of one of the attorneys. In this action he sought $25 million in general damages and $25 million in punitive damages.

Diversity of citizenship was alleged as the basis for jurisdiction in both suits. The defendants filed various motions to dismiss the action or alternatively to quash service of process, under Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(1), (2), (3) and (5). In May 1974, the…