Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_05-cv-00825/USCOURTS-caed-1_05-cv-00825-3/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

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ERIC HOLMES, )

 )

Plaintiff, )

 )

 v. )

 )

SCRIBNER, et al., )

 )

 )

Defendants. )

____________________________________)

1:05-CV-00825-AWI-LJO-P

 

ORDER GRANTING EXTENSION OF

TIME TO FILE AMENDED

COMPLAINT

ORDER DENYING APPOINTMENT OF

COUNSEL

(Doc. 11)

Plaintiff is a prisoner proceeding pro se in a civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. On

November 7, 2006, plaintiff filed a motion for an extension of time to file an amended complaint. Good

cause appearing, plaintiff's motion for an extension of time shall be granted.

Plaintiff has also requested the appointment of counsel. The United States Supreme Court has

ruled that district courts lack authority to require counsel to represent indigent prisonersin § 1983 cases.

Mallard v. United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, 490 U.S. 296, 298, 109 S.Ct.

1814, 1816 (1989). In certain exceptional circumstances, the court may request the voluntary assistance

of counsel pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1). Rand v. Rowland, 113 F.3d 1520, 1525 (9th Cir. 1997).

Without a reasonable method of securing and compensating counsel, this court will seek volunteer

counsel only in the most serious and exceptional cases. In the present case, the court does not find the

required exceptional circumstances. See Rand, 113 F.3d at 1525. Even if it is assumed that plaintiff is

Case 1:05-cv-00825-LJO-GSA Document 12 Filed 12/13/06 Page 1 of 2
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not well versed in the law and that he has made serious allegations which, if proved, would entitle him

to relief, his case is not exceptional. This court is faced with similar cases almost daily. Therefore,

plaintiff's motion for the appointment of counsel shall be denied.

In accordance with the above, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Plaintiff is GRANTED thirty days from the date of service of this order in which to file

an amended complaint, pursuant to the court's order of October 5, 2006; and

2. Plaintiff's motion for the appointment of counsel is DENIED.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: December 8, 2006 /s/ Lawrence J. O'Neill 

b6edp0 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:05-cv-00825-LJO-GSA Document 12 Filed 12/13/06 Page 2 of 2