Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_17-cv-00204/USCOURTS-casd-3_17-cv-00204-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 446
Nature of Suit: Americans with Disabilities Act - Other
Cause of Action: 42:12188 Americans With Disabilities Act - Civil Enforcement Actions

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8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

9 SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

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11 ALBERT SHOQUIST, Case No.: 3:17-cv-00204-BEN-NLS

12 Plaintiff,

ORDER:

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(1) GRANTING MOTION TO

PROCEED IN FORMA PAUPERIS; UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,

Defendant.

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(2) DENYING MOTION FOR

APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL; 16

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(3) DISMISSING COMPLAINT FOR

FAILING TO STATE A CLAIM 18

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[Docket Nos. 1-3] 20

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On February 2, 2017, PlaintiffAlbert Shoquist filed a civil Complaint, a Motion to

Proceed In Forma Pauperis (“IFP”), and a Motion for Appointment ofCounsel. (Docket

Nos. 1-3.) For the reasons stated below, the Motion to Proceed IFP is GRANTED, the

Motion for Appointment ofCounsel is DENIED, and the Complaint is DISMISSED

without prejudice.

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Motion to Proceed IFP

All parties instituting any civil action in a district court must pay a filing fee. 28

U.S.C. § 1914(a). An action may proceed despite a plaintiffs failure to prepay the entire

fee only ifthe plaintiffis granted leave to proceed IFP pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a).

Under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(1),

any court ofthe United States may authorize the

commencement, prosecution or defense of any suit, action or

proceeding ... without prepayment offees or security therefor,

by a person who submits an affidavit that includes a statement

of all assets such [person] possesses that the person is unable to

pay such fees or give security therefor.

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Plaintiffstated he receives approximately $880.00 a month from public-assistance

programs and retirement benefits. (Docket No. 2 at 11.) His monthly expenses are

approximately $640.00. (Id. at % 8.) The Court finds Plaintiffhas sufficiently stated that

he cannot afford to pay the filing fee. The Motion is therefore GRANTED.

Motion to Appoint Counsel

Plaintiffhas moved for the appointment of counsel, on the sole grounds that he

cannot afford to hire an attorney. (Docket No. 3.)

Courts have discretion, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1) (1996), to appoint

counsel for indigent civil litigants upon a showing of exceptional circumstances. “A

finding of exceptional circumstances requires an evaluation ofboth the likelihood of

success on the merits and the ability ofthe petitioner to articulate his claims pro se in

light ofthe complexity ofthe legal issues involved.” Terrell v. Brewer, 935 F.2d 1015,

1017 (9th Cir. 1991) (internal citations omitted). “Neither ofthese factors is dispositive

and both must be viewed together before reaching a decision.” Id. (internal citations

omitted).

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At 1 this time, the Court cannot say there is any likelihood ofsuccess on the merits.

Moreover, Plaintifffails to demonstrate an inability to represent himselfbeyond the

ordinary burdens encountered by plaintiffs representing themselves pro se, or that he has

even attempted to obtain counsel to represent him. See Garcia v. Smith, No. 10-cv-l 187,

2012 WL 2499003, at *4 (S.D. Cal. June 27, 2012) (“Merely alleging indigence is

insufficient to entitle him to appointed counsel; he must also demonstrate that he made a

good faith effort, but was unable, to obtain counsel.”). Therefore, the Court finds that the

exceptional circumstances required for the appointment of counsel are not present.

Plaintiffs Motion is DENIED.

Section 1915 Screening

A. Legal Standard

Under section 1915(e) oftitle 28 ofthe United States Code, the Court must sua

sponte dismiss IFP complaints, or any portions thereof, which are frivolous, malicious,

fail to state a claim, or which seek damages from defendants who are immune. See Lopez

v. Smith, 203 F.3d 1122, 1126-27 (9th Cir. 2000) (en banc) (discussing 28 U.S.C. §

1915(e)(2)). “[T]he provisions ofsection 1915(e)(2)(B) are not limited to prisoners.”

Calhoun v. Stahl, 254 F.3d 845, 845 (9th Cir. 2001).

Every complaint must contain “a short and plain statement ofthe claim showing

that the pleader is entitled to relief.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2). Detailed factual allegations

are not required, but “[t]hreadbare recitals ofthe elements of a cause of action, supported

by mere conclusory statements, do not suffice.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678

(2009) (citing Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555 (2007)). “When there are

well-pleaded factual allegations, a court should assume their veracity, and then determine

whether they plausibly give rise to an entitlement to relief.” Id. at 679; see Barren v.

Harrington, 152 F.3d 1193, 1194 (9th Cir. 1998) (noting that section 1915(e)(2)

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i As will be described in further detail below, Plaintiffs Complaint does not contain

sufficient facts to state a claim for relief. 28

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“parallels the language ofFederal Rule ofCivil Procedure 12(b)(6)”). “Determining

whether a complaint states a plausible claim for relief [is]... a context-specific task that

requires the reviewing court to draw on itsjudicial experience and common sense.”

Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 679. The “mere possibility ofmisconduct” falls short ofmeeting this

plausibility standard. Id.’, see also Moss v. U.S. Secret Serv., 572 F.3d 962, 969 (9th Cir.

2009).

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While a plaintiffs factual allegations are taken as true, courts “are not required to

indulge unwarranted inferences.” Doelv. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 572 F.3d 677, 681 (9th

Cir. 2009) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted). Indeed, while courts “have an

obligation where the petitioner is pro se, particularly in civil rights cases, to construe the

pleadings liberally and to afford the petitioner the benefit of any doubt,” Hebbe v. Filler,

627 F.3d 338, 342 & n.7 (9th Cir. 2010) (citing Bretz v. Kelman, 773 F.2d 1026, 1027 n.l

(9th Cir. 1985)), it may not “supply essential elements of claims that were not initially

pled.” Ivey v. Bd. ofRegents ofthe Univ. of Alaska, 673 F.2d 266, 268 (9th Cir. 1982).

B. Discussion

Plaintiffs Complaint must be dismissed for failing to state a claim upon which

reliefmay be granted. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e). Plaintiffs Complaint, which includes a

single request for relief of “money compensation” lacks any factual allegations. (Docket

No. 1 at 3.) Even construing the documents liberally, the Court finds Plaintiffhas failed

to state any cognizable claim.2 As a result, Plaintiffs Complaint falls well below the

requirement to include “a short and plain statement ofthe claim showing that the pleader

is entitled to relief.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2).

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25 2 This may be due to the fact that the Court did not receive the second page ofthe form

complaint form, which instructs the filing party to: “Briefly state the facts of your case.

Describe how each defendant is involved, and tell what each defendant did to you that

caused you to file this suit against them. Include names of any other persons involved,

dates, and places.” (Docket No. 1 at 1.)

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Accordingly, the Complaint is DISMISSED. However, the Court grants Plaintiff

leave to file a First Amended Complaint that cures the deficiencies noted above.

CONCLUSION

Plaintiffs Motion to Proceed IFP is GRANTED. Plaintiffs Motion for

Appointment ofCounsel is DENIED. The Complaint is DISMISSED without

prejudice for failing to state a claim. Plaintiffis granted thirty (30) days from the date

ofthis Order to file a first amended complaint. IfPlaintiff does not file an amended

complaint, this action shall remain closed without further Order ofthe Court.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

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EU^BENITEZ

11 DATED: February2017

HON/ROGfE

12 United States District Judge

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