Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_09-cv-02927/USCOURTS-caed-2_09-cv-02927-7/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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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

AMADOR SERRANO, No. CIV S-09-2927-FCD-CMK-P

Plaintiff, 

vs. ORDER

CALIFORNIA CORRECTIONAL

DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION, 

et al.,

Defendants.

 /

Plaintiff, a prisoner proceeding pro se, brings this civil rights action pursuant to 42

U.S.C. § 1983. Pending before the court are plaintiff’s motion for appointment of counsel

(Doc.21) and request for leave to proceed in forma pauperis (Doc. 20). 

As to plaintiff’s request to proceed in forma pauperis, that request is duplicative of

a request which was previously granted. The current request will, therefore, be denied as

unnecessary. As to plaintiff’s motion for counsel, the United States Supreme Court has ruled

that district courts lack authority to require counsel to represent indigent prisoners in § 1983

cases. See Mallard v. United States Dist. Court, 490 U.S. 296, 298 (1989). In certain

exceptional circumstances, the court may request the voluntary assistance of counsel pursuant to

Case 2:09-cv-02927-FCD-CMK Document 27 Filed 07/23/10 Page 1 of 2
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28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1). See Terrell v. Brewer, 935 F.2d 1015, 1017 (9th Cir. 1991); Wood v.

Housewright, 900 F.2d 1332, 1335-36 (9th Cir. 1990). In the present case, the court does not at

this time find the required exceptional circumstances. 

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

of counsel (Doc. 21) and request for leave to proceed in forma pauperis (Doc. 20) are denied. 

DATED: July 22, 2010

______________________________________

CRAIG M. KELLISON

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 2:09-cv-02927-FCD-CMK Document 27 Filed 07/23/10 Page 2 of 2