Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_16-cv-00452/USCOURTS-caed-2_16-cv-00452-5/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

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

MARIO ANDRE RUSHING,

Plaintiff,

v.

JEFF MACOMBER, et al.,

Defendants.

No. 2:16-cv-0452 DB P

ORDER

Plaintiff, a state prisoner proceeding pro se and in forma pauperis with a civil rights 

action, has requested appointment of counsel. Plaintiff states that he requires counsel because he 

is unable to afford an attorney, his imprisonment and housing in administrative segregation will 

greatly limit his ability to litigate this action, the issues in this case are complex, he has limited 

access to the law library, he has limited knowledge of the law, he does not know how to use a 

computer to do research, and an attorney would better enable plaintiff to present evidence in this 

case. 

The United States Supreme Court has ruled that district courts lack authority to require 

counsel to represent indigent prisoners in § 1983 cases. Mallard v. United States Dist. Court, 490 

U.S. 296, 298 (1989). In certain exceptional circumstances, the district court may request the 

voluntary assistance of counsel pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1). Terrell v. Brewer, 935 F.2d 

1015, 1017 (9th Cir. 1991); Wood v. Housewright, 900 F.2d 1332, 1335-36 (9th Cir. 1990). 

Case 2:16-cv-00452-JAM-DB Document 36 Filed 11/15/16 Page 1 of 2
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The test for exceptional circumstances requires the court to evaluate the plaintiff’s 

likelihood of success on the merits and the ability of the plaintiff to articulate his claims pro se in 

light of the complexity of the legal issues involved. See Wilborn v. Escalderon, 789 F.2d 1328, 

1331 (9th Cir. 1986); Weygandt v. Look, 718 F.2d 952, 954 (9th Cir. 1983). Circumstances 

common to most prisoners, such as lack of legal education and limited law library access, do not 

establish exceptional circumstances that would warrant a request for voluntary assistance of 

counsel. In the present case, the court does not find the required exceptional circumstances. 

Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that plaintiff’s November 3, 2016 for the 

appointment of counsel (ECF No. 35) is denied.

Dated: November 14, 2016

DLB:9

DLB1/prisoner-civil rights/rush0452.31

Case 2:16-cv-00452-JAM-DB Document 36 Filed 11/15/16 Page 2 of 2