Alice Bruce v. U.S. Bank National Association

── Alice Bruce v. U.S. Bank National Association ── Case No.: 25-12152 Court: Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit Date: March 20, 2026 Category: NEW USCA11 Case: 25-12152 Document: 26-1 Date Filed: 03/20/2026 Page: 1 of 15 NOT FOR PUBLICATION In the United States Court of Appeals For the Eleventh Circuit ____________________ No. 25-12152 Non-Argument Calendar ____________________ ALICE MARIE BRUCE, a.k.a. Alice Bruce, ROY W. BRUCE, Plaintiffs-Appellants, versus U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee, Successor in Interest to Bank of America, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee for Washington Mutual Asset Backed Certificates, WMABS SERIES 2006-HE3 TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee by Merger, to Lasalle Bank, MEGHAN P. KEANE, Esq., Individually, et al., Defendants-Appellees. USCA11 Case: 25-12152 Document: 26-1 Date Filed: 03/20/2026 Page: 2 of 15 2 Opinion of the Court 25-12152 ____________________ Appeal from the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida D.C. Docket No. 8:25-cv-00404-MSS-AEP ____________________ Before JORDAN, KIDD, and HULL, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM: Alice and Roy Bruce (“the Bruces”), proceeding pro se, appeal the dismissal of their lawsuit relating to the foreclosure of their home after Florida state-court proceedings. The district court dismissed the Bruces’ lawsuit with prejudice for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. The district court concluded that it lacked jurisdiction because (1) the Bruces did not assert any claims arising under federal law, (2) the Bruces failed to allege adequately diversity of citizenship between the parties, and (3) all of their lawsuit was barred by the Rooker-Feldman doctrine. After review, we conclude that the district court erred by dismissing the Bruces’ lawsuit with prejudice for lack of jurisdiction because (1) the Bruces’ first amended complaint contained sufficient allegations to trigger, at least at this juncture, federal question jurisdiction, and (2) the district court failed to evaluate the Bruces’ six claims individually and instead summarily dismissed them all as barred by the Rooker-Feldman doctrine. Accordingly, we vacate the dismissal with prejudice and remand for further proceedings. USCA11 Case: 25-12152 Document: 26-1 Date Filed: 03/20/2026 Page: 3 of 15 25-12152 Opinion of the Court 3 I. BACKGROUND We explicate the complicated procedural history to explain the limited nature of what we are deciding. A. Initial Complaint On February 18, 2025, the Bruces filed a complaint against U.S. Bank National Association (“U.S. Bank”), asserting various Florida state-law and federal statutory claims for relief. The complaint alleged that U.S. Bank was liable to the Bruces for its actions relating to its efforts to foreclose on their home based on their defaulted mortgage. The complaint focused primarily on a foreclosure judgment that U.S. Bank obtained against the Bruces in Florida state court on July 18, 2024. As relief, the complaint sought, among