Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_09-cv-01803/USCOURTS-caed-2_09-cv-01803-15/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 

MICHAEL J. DEVELDER, 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

J. HIRSHLER, et al., 

Defendants. 

No. 2:09-cv-1803-TLN-EFB P 

ORDER 

Plaintiff is a state prisoner proceeding without counsel in an action brought under 42 

U.S.C. § 1983. He again requests that the court appoint counsel. As plaintiff has been previously 

informed, see ECF No. 50, district courts lack authority to require counsel to represent indigent 

prisoners in section 1983 cases. Mallard v. United States Dist. Court, 490 U.S. 296, 298 (1989). 

In exceptional circumstances, the court may request an attorney to voluntarily to represent such a 

plaintiff. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1); Terrell v. Brewer, 935 F.2d 1015, 1017 (9th Cir. 1991); 

Wood v. Housewright, 900 F.2d 1332, 1335-36 (9th Cir. 1990). When determining whether 

“exceptional circumstances” exist, the court must consider the likelihood of success on the merits 

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

legal issues involved. Palmer v. Valdez, 560 F.3d 965, 970 (9th Cir. 2009). Having once again 

considered those factors, the court still finds there are no exceptional circumstances in this case. 

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Case 2:09-cv-01803-TLN-EFB Document 57 Filed 04/14/16 Page 1 of 2
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 Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that plaintiff’s request for appointment of 

counsel (ECF No. 56) is denied. 

DATED: April 13, 2016. 

Case 2:09-cv-01803-TLN-EFB Document 57 Filed 04/14/16 Page 2 of 2