51 A.D.2d 658 | N.Y. App. Div. | 1976
Order unanimously affirmed, with costs, and complaint dismissed without prejudice. Memorandum: Plaintiffs are dentists who seek to enjoin defendants, officers of a professional society to which plaintiffs belong, from holding allegedly biased hearings to determine whether the plaintiffs have violated the society’s ethical standards. The charges preferred against plaintiffs are based upon their employment at a dental clinic which provides dental services under prepaid dental contracts. However, no determination of unethical conduct as set forth in the "Principles of Ethics” of the society has been made; nor has any disciplinary sanction been imposed. Therefore, the plaintiffs have not exhausted their internal, administrative remedies, and their action is premature as a matter of law (Thomas v Musical Mut. Protective Union, 121 NY 45; Reid v Medical Soc. of County of Oneida, 162 App Div 923; Moyse v New York Cotton Exchange, 143 App Div 265, 268; Gillman v Tenth Dist. Dental Soc. of State of N.Y., 25 Misc 2d 457, app dsmd 10 AD2d 700). Plaintiffs have also failed to allege or establish any "state action” by defendants upon which equitable relief enforcing the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment could be predicated (see Moose Lodge No. 107 v Irvis, 407 US 163, 171-177; Matter of Salter v New York State Psychological Assn., 14 NY2d 100, 104-106). (Appeal from order of Erie Supreme Court dismissing complaint.) Present—Marsh, P. J., Moule, Cardamone, Simons and Witmer, JJ.