The following excerpt is from Aventura Techs. Inc. v. World of Residensea II Ltd., 15-1465-cv (2nd Cir. 2016):
While we review the district court's decision to stay a case on abstention grounds for abuse of discretion, the standard of review is "somewhat rigorous." Vill. of Westfield, 170 F.3d at 120. This is because federal courts have a "virtually unflagging obligation . . . to exercise the jurisdiction given them." Colorado River, 424 U.S. at 817. Accordingly, the court's discretion "must be exercised within the narrow and specific limits prescribed by the particular abstention doctrine involved. . . . [T]here is little or no discretion to abstain in a case which does not meet traditional abstention requirements." Vill. of Westfield, 170 F.3d at 120 (quoting Dittmer v. County of Suffolk, 146 F.3d 113, 116 (2d Cir. 1998)).
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