Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_03-cv-00241/USCOURTS-caed-2_03-cv-00241-12/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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26 See Judge Brennan’s Order at docket # 99. 1

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

TERRY JAY MEYERS,

Plaintiff, No. CIV S-03-0241 LKK GGH P

vs.

SHERIFF JIM POPE, et al.,

 ORDER

Defendants.

 /

Counsel for plaintiff has submitted a stipulated motion to withdraw as counsel for

plaintiff, a motion which the court notes, follows the August 17, 2009, vacating of the settlement 1

conference previously set in this matter. The motion sets this matter for hearing on September

17, 2009, at 10:00 a.m., before the undersigned. The stipulation, signed by both plaintiff and his

counsel, shows the two are in agreement that counsel should be granted leave to withdraw and

that plaintiff will proceed to “represent himself in pro per until such appointment by the Court of

new counsel pursuant to the order of the Ninth Circuit in this case.” See Motion, filed on August

24, 2009 (docket # 101).

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The court set this matter for a settlement conference following a status conference with 2

both counsel and directed that another magistrate judge be assigned to hold the conference. See

Order, filed on May 18, 2009 (docket # 92). A settlement conference was set for August 20, 2009,

before Judge Brennan. Docket # 94 & # 95. Judge Brennan issued a writ for plaintiff’s appearance,

subsequently vacated. Docket # 96 & # 99. Prior to the vacating of the settlement conference,

plaintiff’s counsel filed a request to vacate it, stating that plaintiff “is unwilling to be transported to

Sacramento at this time,” without further explanation. Docket # 98. 

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The motion presumes too much and the stipulation is rejected by the court. 

Counsel for plaintiff must appear before the court at the time noticed for the hearing, as noted

herein, although it will not be necessary for defendants’ counsel to make an appearance, pursuant

to the statement of non-opposition, filed on August 26, 2009 (docket # 102). Counsel for

plaintiff must be prepared to address both his own response and that of plaintiff with regard to

the court’s current position, as set forth below. 

The court satisfied the mandate of the Ninth Circuit for plaintiff to proceed on

remand with appointed counsel when counsel was located and appointed for plaintiff. The

mandate was not an unqualified and unlimited directive to provide plaintiff with new counsel to

suit his whim, even if, for example, plaintiff absented himself from a settlement conference (see 2

request, filed on August 17, 2009 (docket # 98)) that may well have resolved significant issues. 

The vacating of the settlement conference may also be what has moved plaintiff’s counsel to seek

to withdraw. Little thought appears to have been spared, however, for the burden placed upon

this already extraordinarily burdened court to seek new counsel for plaintiff in this six-year-old

case. Nor is the undersigned very disposed to do so. Rather, the most likely alternatives the

court finds available at this juncture are either that plaintiff will proceed with his current counsel

(and the motion to withdraw be denied) or plaintiff will proceed in this litigation pro se. The

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 court will, of course, consider both the position of counsel and of plaintiff, through his counsel,

with regard to these alternatives and will hear any reasonable additional alternative that might be

presented. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: August 26, 2009 /s/ Gregory G. Hollows

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

GGH:009

meye0241.rej

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