Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-arwd-5_06-cv-05024/USCOURTS-arwd-5_06-cv-05024-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 555
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Prison Condition
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

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AO72A

(Rev. 8/82)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

WESTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS

FAYETTEVILLE DIVISION

JOHN WILLIAM HETZEL PLAINTIFF

v. Civil No. 06-5024

 

DR. MULLINS; and

NURSE McDONALD DEFENDANTS

ORDER

On October 4, 2006, defendants filed a motion to compel answers to discovery requests

(Doc. 11). Defendants state they propounded interrogatories and requests for production of

documents to the plaintiff on September 18, 2006. 

Defendants attach to their motion to compel a letter they received from the plaintiff.

Plaintiff states he is not answering any questions until he talks to a lawyer first. He further

indicates he is waiting for the court to appoint him an attorney. 

Under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, plaintiff has thirty (30) days to respond to

the discovery requests. Fed. R. Civ. P. 33(b)(3) & 34(b). Plaintiff cannot refuse to respond to

discovery requests merely because he is unrepresented. We note that there is no pending motion

for an appointment of counsel. Even if plaintiff files a motion for appointment of counsel with

the court, it does not excuse him from responding to the discovery requests in a timely manner.

Accordingly, defendants’ motion to compel is granted. Plaintiff is directed to provide

defendants with the required responses to the discovery requests by 5:00 p.m. on November 3,

2006.

Further, as it appears this case may be resolved on motion for summary judgment, the

defendants are directed to file such a motion on or before December 8, 2006. Once the summary

judgment motion is filed, the court will prepare a questionnaire to assist the plaintiff in

Case 5:06-cv-05024-JLH Document 13 Filed 10/18/06 Page 1 of 2 PageID #: <pageID>
AO72A

(Rev. 8/82)

responding to the motion. For this reason, plaintiff is directed not to respond to the motion for

summary judgment until so ordered by the court. 

Dated this 18th day of October 2006.

/s/ Beverly Stites Jones 

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 5:06-cv-05024-JLH Document 13 Filed 10/18/06 Page 2 of 2 PageID #: <pageID>