Jonathan Cohen v. Loretta Lynch

MEMORANDUM

Jonathan Aaron Cohen appeals pro se from the district court’s judgment dismissing for lack of subject matter jurisdiction his action seeking a declaratory judgment that he will not be criminally sanctioned under federal or state law for transporting, in the course of his business, cannabis for medical purposes. We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291 . We review de novo the district court’s dismissal for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. Aydin Corp. v. Union of India, 940 F.2d 527, 527 (9th Cir. 1991). We affirm.

The district court properly dismissed Cohen’s action for lack of subject matter jurisdiction because Cohen failed to establish an injury as required for Article III standing. See Hillblom v. United States, 896 F.2d 426, 430-31 (9th Cir. 1990) (plaintiffs’ allegations were “premised on potential future .acts” and subsequently insufficient to establish an “injury which warrants judicial intervention”); Aydin Corp., 940 F.2d at 527-28 (declaratory relief is proper only when there is an actual case or controversy); see also Lujan v. Defenders of Wildlife, 504 U.S. 555, 560-61 , 112 S.Ct. 2130 , 119 L.Ed.2d 351 (1992) (setting forth the elements of Article…