Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_18-cv-02944/USCOURTS-caed-2_18-cv-02944-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

MARVIN PACK, JR., 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

JOE A. LIZARRAGA, et al., 

Defendants. 

No. 2:18-cv-02944 KJM AC P 

ORDER 

 Plaintiff is a California state prisoner who proceeds in this civil rights action with retained 

counsel. By order filed January 24, 2020, the undersigned found service of the Second Amended 

Complaint appropriate for defendants Padmesh, Pettersen, Toralba and Gentry. ECF No. 9. The 

court directed CDCR to serve process on its employees, defendants Pettersen, Toralba and 

Gentry, and directed plaintiff’s counsel to serve process on defendant Padmesh, who is employed 

by San Joaquin General Hospital. See id. at 10 (“Plaintiff’s counsel shall serve process on 

defendant Dr. Hosahalli Padmesh, M.D., a surgeon at San Joaquin General Hospital, pursuant to 

the requirements set forth in Rule 4, Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.”). In the same order, this 

court denied without prejudice plaintiff’s pro se motion to dismiss this action due to the 

requirement that, while legally represented, plaintiff may appear only through his counsel. Id. at 

9. 

 Presently pending is a motion filed by plaintiff’s counsel requesting withdrawal from his 

representation of plaintiff in this action. ECF No. 15. Counsel explains that the motion reflects 

Case 2:18-cv-02944-KJM-AC Document 16 Filed 02/11/20 Page 1 of 2
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the wishes of plaintiff, who intends to proceed pro se or with newly retained counsel. Id. 

 In this court, attorneys representing parties in a civil case are subject to the requirements 

of Local Rule 182(d), which provides: 

Unless otherwise provided herein, an attorney who has appeared may 

not withdraw leaving the client in propria persona without leave of 

court upon noticed motion and notice to the client and all other 

parties who have appeared. The attorney shall provide an affidavit 

stating the current or last known address or addresses of the client 

and the efforts made to notify the client of the motion to withdraw. 

Withdrawal as attorney is governed by the Rules of Professional 

Conduct of the State Bar of California, and the attorney shall 

conform to the requirements of those Rules. The authority and duty 

of the attorney of record shall continue until relieved by order of the 

Court issued hereunder. Leave to withdraw may be granted subject 

to such appropriate conditions as the Court deems fit. 

 Because no defendant has yet appeared in this action, counsel is relieved from the 

requirement that his motion be served on other parties. However, it is not evident that the motion 

was served on plaintiff himself. See ECF No. 15 at 3. Moreover, it appears that service of 

process on defendant Padmesh remains outstanding. Therefore, a decision on counsel’s motion 

will be deferred until both matters are completed. 

 Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that: 

 1. Within seven (7) days after the filing date of this order, plaintiff’s counsel shall file 

documentation demonstrating service of his pending motion on plaintiff; 

 2. Within thirty (30) days after the filing date of this order, plaintiff’s counsel shall 

demonstrate service of process of the Second Amended Complaint on defendant Dr. Hosahalli 

Padmesh, M.D.; and 

 3. Within twenty-one (21) days after the filing date of this order, plaintiff may file a 

response to the pending motion to withdraw filed by his current counsel. 

 IT IS SO ORDERED. 

DATED: February 10, 2020 

Case 2:18-cv-02944-KJM-AC Document 16 Filed 02/11/20 Page 2 of 2