Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_10-cv-00537/USCOURTS-azd-2_10-cv-00537-3/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

1

 “Doc.#” refers to the docket number of filings in this case.

WO SC

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Willis Clyde Thomas, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

Courtroom Deputy for Judge Ronan, 

Defendant. 

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

No. CV 10-0537-PHX-RCB (ECV)

ORDER

Plaintiff Willis Clyde Thomas, who is confined in the Arizona State Prison ComplexEast Unit, in Florence, Arizona, filed a pro se civil rights Complaint pursuant to 42 U.S.C.

§ 1983. (Doc.# 1.)1

 In an Order filed on March 31, 2010, the Court denied Plaintiff’s

Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis and gave him 30 days in which to either pay the

$350.00 civil action filing fee or file a proper Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis.

(Doc.# 14.) Plaintiff subsequently filed a properly completed in forma pauperis application,

which was granted in an Order filed on June 8, 2010. (Doc.# 26.) In the same Order, the

Court dismissed the Complaint for failure to state a claim and granted Plaintiff 30 days

within which to file a first amended complaint. (Id.) On June 17, 2010, Plaintiff filed two

motions to dismiss and a motion for appointment of counsel. (Doc.# 28-30.) On June 22,

2010, Plaintiff filed a First Amended Complaint, signed June 14, 2010, and another motion

to dismiss, dated June 22, 2010. (Doc.# 32, 33.) Plaintiff’s motion for appointment of

counsel will be denied. (Doc.# 29.) The Court will construe the motions to dismiss as

Case 2:10-cv-00537-RCB--ECV Document 34 Filed 06/25/10 Page 1 of 3
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

- 2 -

notices of voluntary dismissal pursuant to Rule 41. 

I. Appointment of Counsel

Plaintiff has filed a motion for appointment of counsel. (Doc.# 29.) Plaintiff seeks

the appointment of counsel because he is indigent and is untrained in the law. Counsel is

only appointed in a civil rights action in “exceptional circumstances.” Agyeman v.

Corrections Corp. of America, 390 F.3d 1101, 1103 (9th Cir. 2004); Wilborn v. Escalderon,

789 F.2d 1328, 1331 (9th Cir. 1986); Terrell v. Brewer, 935 F.2d 1015, 1017 (9th Cir. 1991).

“A finding of exceptional circumstances requires an evaluation of both ‘the 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.’” Wilborn, 789 F.2d at 1331; see Agyeman,

390 F.3d at 1103; Terrell, 935 F.2d at 1017.

Plaintiff has not shown extraordinary circumstances that warrant the appointment of

counsel. Plaintiff has not demonstrated that the issues in this case are particularly complex

or that he is unable to articulate his claims. Accordingly, Plaintiff’s motion will be denied.

II. Motion to Dismiss

As noted above, Plaintiff has filed three motions to dismiss. In the first, he also asks

that the filing fee not be assessed against him. 

To the extent that Plaintiff seeks to have the assessment of the filing fee vacated, his

motion will be denied. An indigent inmate may proceed in forma pauperis without

prepayment of the filing fee, 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(1), (2), but he remains obligated to pay the

fee incrementally, 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1) (“if a prisoner brings a civil action . . . the prisoner

shall be required to pay the full amount of the filing fee.”). That is, a prisoner-plaintiff

granted leave to proceed in forma pauperis must pay the assessed filing fee regardless of the

subsequent dismissal of a case. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b). 

Plaintiff otherwise seeks dismissal of this case. In his second motion to dismiss,

Plaintiff states that he wishes to dismiss this case until after he is released from prison and

can retain an attorney. In his third motion, dated June 22, 2010, Plaintiff states that he has

Case 2:10-cv-00537-RCB--ECV Document 34 Filed 06/25/10 Page 2 of 3
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

- 3 -

been granted review in state court and prefers to seek vindication of his rights there. (Doc.#

33.)

Rule 41(a)(1)(A)(I) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provides in relevant part

that a “plaintiff may dismiss an action without a court order by filing: a notice of dismissal

before the opposing party serves either an answer or a motion for summary[.]” No opposing

party has served either an answer or a motion for summary judgment. To the extent that

Plaintiff seeks dismissal in his motions, the motions are construed as notice of voluntary

dismissal. 

IT IS ORDERED:

(1) Plaintiff’s motion for appointment of counsel is denied. (Doc.# 29.)

(2) To the extent that Plaintiff requests the Order assessing the $350.00 filing fee

be vacated, his motion to dismiss is denied. (Doc.# 28.) 

(3) To the extent that Plaintiff seeks dismissal of this action, his motions to dismiss

are deemed notice of voluntary dismissal of this action. (Doc.# 28, 30, 33.) 

(4) The Clerk of Court must enter a judgment of dismissal of this action without

prejudice.

DATED this 24th day of June, 2010.

Case 2:10-cv-00537-RCB--ECV Document 34 Filed 06/25/10 Page 3 of 3