Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_19-cv-01265/USCOURTS-caed-2_19-cv-01265-0/pdf.json

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

---

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

JACOB RADER, 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

COUNTY OF PLACER, et al., 

Defendants. 

No. 2:19-cv-1265 AC P 

ORDER 

 Plaintiff requests appointment of counsel on the ground he is indigent. Plaintiff’s request 

is set forth on a copy of his application to proceed in forma pauperis, with a change in title. ECF 

No. 3. 

 The United States Supreme Court has ruled that district courts lack authority to require 

counsel to represent indigent prisoners in § 1983 cases. Mallard v. United States Dist. Court, 490 

U.S. 296, 298 (1989). In certain exceptional circumstances, the court may request an attorney to 

voluntarily 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 plaintiff’s 

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. See Palmer v. Valdez, 560 F.3d 965, 

970 (9th Cir. 2009) (district court did not abuse discretion in declining to appoint counsel). The 

Case 2:19-cv-01265-WBS-AC Document 9 Filed 03/23/20 Page 1 of 2
1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

2 

burden of demonstrating exceptional circumstances is on plaintiff. Circumstances common to 

most prisoners, such as lack of legal education and limited law library access, do not establish 

exceptional circumstances warranting the appointment of voluntary counsel. Id. 

 Plaintiff’s indigency does not, standing alone, establish exceptional circumstances 

warranting appointment of voluntary counsel. Moreover, the complaint in this action, filed July 

9, 2019, has not yet been screened by the court pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §1915A, and therefore the 

court is unable at this time to assess plaintiff’s likelihood of success or his ability to articulate his 

claims pro se. Plaintiff may renew his request for appointment of counsel after the court has 

screened his complaint. 

 Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that plaintiff’s request for appointment of 

counsel, ECF No. 3, is denied without prejudice. 

DATED: March 23, 2020 

Case 2:19-cv-01265-WBS-AC Document 9 Filed 03/23/20 Page 2 of 2