Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_02-cv-01357/USCOURTS-azd-2_02-cv-01357-1/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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28 U.S.C. § 1951(e)(1) provides: "The court may request an attorney to represent any

person unable to afford counsel."

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NOT FOR PUBLICATION

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Michael S. McDonald, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

Deputy Warden Schuster; et al., 

Defendants. 

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No. CV-02-1357-PHX-SRB

ORDER

This case has proceeded past the dispositive motion phase and is approaching trial.

The Court believes that Plaintiff has met the requisite standard for appointment of counsel

and hereby appoints David Rauch and Shane Gosdis as pro bono counsel for Plaintiff.

The law concerning appointment of counsel was fully set forth in Magistrate Judge

Virginia A. Mathis's Order denying an earlier motion made by Plaintiff for appointment of

counsel ("Order"). (Doc. 71.) To summarize, "an appointment of counsel may be requested

under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1)1

 only in 'exceptional circumstances'. . . . A finding of

exceptional circumstances requires an evaluation of both the 'likelihood of success on the

merits [and] the ability of the petitioner to articulate his claims pro se in light of the

complexity of the legal issues involved. Neither of these factors is dispositive and both must

Case 2:02-cv-01357-SRB Document 86 Filed 03/14/06 Page 1 of 2
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be viewed together before reaching a decision on a request for counsel under section

1915(d)." (Order at 1-2 (citations, quotations and some punctuation omitted).)

The Court believes that exceptional circumstances are present in this case. The Court

has requested that the above-stated attorneys undertake representation of Plaintiff on a pro

bono basis, and they have agreed.

The parties are advised that, at present, there is a March 21, 2006 deadline for the

submission of the Joint Proposed Pretrial Order. In light of the appointment of counsel, this

deadline is flexible. The parties are encouraged to meet and confer concerning a revised

deadline and advise the Court of their proposed revised deadline.

IT IS ORDERED appointing David Rauch and Shane Gosdis as counsel for Plaintiff.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Clerk of the Court shall send a copy of the

Complaint (Doc.1) and this Court's order on Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment

(Doc. 57) to:

David Rouch

Shane Gosdis

Snell & Wilmer

1 Arizona Center

400 East Van Buren St.

Phoenix, AZ 85004

DATED this 13th day of March, 2006.

Case 2:02-cv-01357-SRB Document 86 Filed 03/14/06 Page 2 of 2