Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_10-cv-02599/USCOURTS-casd-3_10-cv-02599-4/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 42:1983cv Civil Rights Act - Civil Action for Deprivation of 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

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

NICOLE CHAKER, an individual,

Plaintiff,

CASE NO. 10cv2599-GPC(BGS)

ORDER GRANTING IN PART

AND DENYING IN PART 

PLAINTIFF’S EX PARTE 

MOTION TO FILE HER

MOTION TO APPOINT

COUNSEL UNDER SEAL;

ORDER DIRECTING

PLAINTIFF TO FILE

FINANCIAL AFFIDAVIT;

AND ORDER STRIKING

EXHIBIT 1

vs.

ROBERT ADAMS, an individual;

Officer HERZIG, an individual; CITY

OF SAN DIEGO, a government entity;

and DOES 1-50, inclusive

Defendants.

Plaintiff NicoleChaker, proceeding pro se, filed a motion to appoint counsel and

request for a stay, and an ex parte motion to file her motion under seal. 

Plaintiff initiated this civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §1983 on

December 17, 2010 with the assistance of counsel. (Dkt. No. 1.) On August 3, 2012,

District Judge Janis Sammartino denied in part Plaintiff’s motion for partial summary

judgment. (Dkt. No. 26.) On October 9, 2012, the case was transferred to the

undersigned judge. (Dkt. No. 37.) On October 10, 2012, the Court granted Plaintiff

counsel’s motion to withdraw as attorney. (Dkt. No. 38.) In that order, Plaintiff was

granted a sixty-day stay ofthe proceedingsto permit her to obtain alternate counsel and

- 1 - [10cv2599-GPC(BGS)]

Case 3:10-cv-02599-GPC-BGS Document 84 Filed 08/15/14 Page 1 of 4
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

the Court set a status hearing on December 14, 2012. (Id.) The Court granted

Plaintiff’s ex parte motion to continue the status hearing to March 15, 2013. (Dkt. No.

41.) A status hearing was held on March 15, 2013. (Dkt. No. 42.) At the hearing,

Plaintiffindicated she had not yet obtained counsel and requested additional time. (Id.) 

On May 17, 2013, the Court held another status hearing. (Dkt. No. 48.) At the hearing,

the Court stayed the case pending Plaintiff’s evaluation of her disability. (Id.) On

September 13, 2013, another status hearing was held. (Dkt. No. 51.) At that hearing,

the Court lifted the stay and referred the case to the Magistrate Judge for settlement. 

(Dkt. No. 51.) The Court also set a pretrial conference for January 17, 2014. (Id.) On

the same day, Plaintiff filed a motion to appoint counsel which the Court denied. (Dkt.

Nos. 52, 53.) The mandatory settlement conference set before the Magistrate Judge on

December 18, 2013 was vacated and reset to March 24, 2014 and again to April 1,

2014. (Dkt. Nos. 57, 59, 61.) On April 1, 2014, a mandatory settlement conference

was held and the case did not settle. (Dkt. No. 65.) The Court continued the pretrial

conference to April 18, 2014 due to the mandatory settlement conference, and then

again to July 25, 2014. (Dkt. Nos. 62, 66.) 

On May 12, 2014, the Court appointed Stephen P. White as Pro Bono Counsel

for Plaintiff pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1) and S.D. Cal. General Order 596. (Dkt.

No. 71.) On June 25, 2014, White filed a motion to withdraw as pro bono counsel for

Plaintiff. (Dkt. No. 72.) At the hearing on July 16, 2014, the Court granted Mr.

White’s motion to be relieved as pro bono counsel and set a final pretrial conference

on August 29, 2014. (Dkt. No. 74.) 

In her instant motion, Plaintiffseeks to have another pro bono counsel appointed

and a stay of the case until new counsel is appointed. In its prior order appointing pro

bono counsel, the Court assumed that Plaintiff had met the indigent standard required

to appoint counsel under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1) (“court may request an attorney to

represent any person unable to afford counsel.”) 

The record in this case does not reflect that Chaker is indigent as she has not

- 2 - [10cv2599-GPC(BGS)]

Case 3:10-cv-02599-GPC-BGS Document 84 Filed 08/15/14 Page 2 of 4
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

filed a financial affidavit with the Court. Accordingly, in order to determine whether

she qualifies for appointment of counsel under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1) as being

indigent, Plaintiff is directed to file a sworn financial affidavit. See Bradshaw v.

Zoological Society of San Diego, 662 F.2d 1301, 1318 (9th Cir. 1981) (the district

court must assess three factors in determining whether to appoint counsel: (1) the

plaintiff’s financial resources; (2) the efforts made by the plaintiff to secure counsel;

and (3) whether the plaintiff's claims have merit). 

A. Request to File Under Seal 

Plaintiff also seeks to file her entire motion to appoint counsel and for a stay

under seal. There is a presumptive right of public access to court records based upon

the common law and the first amendment. See Nixon v. Warner Comm., Inc., 435 U.S.

589, 597 (1978); Phillips ex rel. Estates of Byrd v. General Motors Corp., 307 F.3d

1206, 1212-13 (9th Cir. 2002). Nonetheless, access may be denied to protect sensitive

confidential information. Courts are more likely to protect information covered by

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(c), but are not limited by items listed in protective

orders. See KL Group v. Case, Kay, & Lynch, 829 F.2d 909, 917-19 (9th Cir. 1987)

(letter to client from attorney); Kalinauskas v. Wong, 151 F.R.D. 363, 365-67 (D. Nev.

1993) (confidential settlement agreement). In the context of Rule 26(c), “[a] party

asserting good cause bearsthe burden, for each particular document itseeks to protect,

ofshowing thatspecific prejudice or harm will result if no protective order is granted.”

Folz v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 331 F.3d 1122, 1130 (9th Cir. 2003). 

Redactions, as opposed to filing entire documents under seal, “have the virtue of being

limited and clear.” Kamakana v. City and Cnty. of Honolulu, 447 F.3d 1172, 1183 (9th

Cir. 2006). 

Here, Plaintiff seeks to file her entire motion to appoint counsel under seal

without showing good cause why the entire motion should be protected. Plaintiff only

seeks to protect a letter signed by her physician which is attached as Exhibit 2 to her

motion to appoint counsel. The Court finds that the physician’s letter is sensitive and

- 3 - [10cv2599-GPC(BGS)]

Case 3:10-cv-02599-GPC-BGS Document 84 Filed 08/15/14 Page 3 of 4
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

confidential information. Accordingly, the Court GRANTS Plaintiff’s ex parte motion

to file under seal her physician’s letter attached as Exhibit 2 to her motion to appoint

counsel and DENIES Plaintiff’s ex parte motion to file under seal the remaining

portions of her motion. The Court also STRIKES Exhibit 1 attached to the motion to

appoint counsel as it concerns Mr. White, her prior counsel, which has no bearing on

Plaintiff’s motion to appoint counsel. 

Conclusion

Based on the above, the Court DIRECTS the Clerk of Court to send an in forma

pauperi (“IFP”) packet to Plaintiff along with this order and Plaintiff shall file the

financial affidavit in the IFP packet on or before September 5, 2014. In addition, the

Court GRANTS Plaintiff’s ex parte motion to file under SEAL her physician’s letter

attached as Exhibit 2 to her motion to appoint counsel and DENIES Plaintiff’s ex parte

motion to file under seal the remaining portions of her motion. The Court also

STRIKES Exhibit 1 attached to the motion to appoint counsel. In light of the Court’s

ruling, the Court continues the hearing on Defendants’ motion to dismiss for lack of

prosecution and the pretrial conference to October 24, 2014 at 1:30 p.m. The Court

further DENIES Plaintiff’s motion for a stay.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: August 15, 2014

HON. GONZALO P. CURIEL

United States District Judge

- 4 - [10cv2599-GPC(BGS)]

Case 3:10-cv-02599-GPC-BGS Document 84 Filed 08/15/14 Page 4 of 4