Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_09-cv-02235/USCOURTS-cand-4_09-cv-02235-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 555
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Prison Condition
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

FRANCISCO GARCIA,

Plaintiff,

 v.

A. A. LAMARQUE, Warden, et al.,

Defendants. /

No. C 09-02235 CW (PR)

ORDER GRANTING MOTION TO

SUPPLEMENT REQUEST FOR

APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL; AND

DENYING REQUEST FOR APPOINTMENT

OF COUNSEL

Plaintiff has filed a motion for appointment of counsel to

represent him in this action. Plaintiff has also filed an "Ex

Parte Request to Supplement Motion for Counsel with Additional

Documents in Support of Motion for Counsel." The Court GRANTS

Plaintiff's request to supplement his motion with additional

documents.

There is no constitutional right to counsel in a civil case

unless an indigent litigant may lose his physical liberty if he

loses the litigation. See Lassiter v. Dep't of Soc. Servs., 452

U.S. 18, 25 (1981); Rand v. Rowland, 113 F.3d 1520, 1525 (9th Cir.

1997) (no constitutional right to counsel in § 1983 action),

withdrawn in part on other grounds on reh'g en banc, 154 F.3d 952

(9th Cir. 1998) (en banc). The court may ask counsel to represent

an indigent litigant under 28 U.S.C. § 1915 only in "exceptional

circumstances," the determination of which requires an evaluation

Case 4:09-cv-02235-CW Document 16 Filed 06/24/10 Page 1 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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of both (1) the likelihood of success on the merits, and (2) the

ability of the plaintiff to articulate his claims pro se in light

of the complexity of the legal issues involved. See id. at 1525;

Terrell v. Brewer, 935 F.2d 1015, 1017 (9th Cir. 1991); Wilborn v.

Escalderon, 789 F.2d 1328, 1331 (9th Cir. 1986). Both of these

factors must be viewed together before reaching a decision on a

request for counsel under § 1915. See id. 

The Court is unable to assess at this time whether exceptional

circumstances exist which would warrant seeking volunteer counsel

to accept a pro bono appointment. The proceedings are at an early

stage and it is premature for the Court to determine Plaintiff's

likelihood of success on the merits. Accordingly, the request for

appointment of counsel at this time is DENIED. The Court will

consider appointment of counsel later in the proceedings, after

Defendants have filed their dispositive motion and the Court has a

better understanding of the procedural and substantive matters at

issue. Therefore, Plaintiff may file a renewed motion for the

appointment of counsel after Defendants' dispositive motion has

been filed. If the Court decides that appointment of counsel is

warranted at that time, it will seek volunteer counsel to agree to

represent Plaintiff pro bono. 

This Order terminates Docket nos. 14 and 15.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: 6/24/2010 

CLAUDIA WILKEN

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 4:09-cv-02235-CW Document 16 Filed 06/24/10 Page 2 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

FRANCISCO GARCIA,

Plaintiff,

 v.

A A LAMARQUE et al,

Defendant. /

Case Number: CV09-02235 CW 

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I, the undersigned, hereby certify that I am an employee in the Office of the Clerk, U.S. District

Court, Northern District of California.

That on June 24, 2010, I SERVED a true and correct copy(ies) of the attached, by placing said

copy(ies) in a postage paid envelope addressed to the person(s) hereinafter listed, by depositing

said envelope in the U.S. Mail, or by placing said copy(ies) into an inter-office delivery

receptacle located in the Clerk's office.

Francisco Garcia K-38818

Calipatria State Prison

P.O. Box 5002

Calipatria, CA 92233

Dated: June 24, 2010

Richard W. Wieking, Clerk

By: Nikki Riley, Deputy Clerk

Case 4:09-cv-02235-CW Document 16 Filed 06/24/10 Page 3 of 3