Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_06-cv-00304/USCOURTS-caed-1_06-cv-00304-1/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

FRANK HAFER, )

)

Plaintiff, )

)

 )

v. ) 

)

)

S. TAUNTON, et al., )

)

Defendants. )

____________________________________)

1:06-CV-00304-OWW-LJO-P 

 

ORDER DENYING MOTION FOR

APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL 

(DOCUMENT #4)

On March 20, 2006, plaintiff filed a motion seeking the appointment of counsel. The court

cannot require an attorney to represent plaintiff. Mallard v. United States District Court for the Southern

District of Iowa, 490 U.S. 296, 298 (1989). In certain exceptional circumstances, the 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). Without a reasonable method of securing and compensating counsel, this

court will seek volunteer counsel only in the most serious and exceptional cases. “A finding of

exceptional circumstances requires an evaluation of both ‘the likelihood of success of the merits and the

ability of the [plaintiff] to articulate his claims pro se in light of the complexity of the legal issues

involved.’” Terrell, 935 F.2d at 1017 (citations omitted).

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Case 1:06-cv-00304-OWW -LJO Document 10 Filed 04/04/06 Page 1 of 2
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 The court has not yet screened plaintiff’s complaint to determine whether it contains any cognizable claims for

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relief. 28 U.S.C. § 1915A. The court has many civil cases pending before it and will screen plaintiff’s complaint in due

course.

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In the present case, the court does not find the required exceptional circumstances. Even if it is

assumed that plaintiff is 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. At this early stage in the proceedings, the court cannot make a determination that plaintiff

is likely to succeed on the merits, and based on a review of the record in this case, the court does not find

that plaintiff cannot adequately articulate his claims. Terrell, 935 F.2d at 1017. 1

For the foregoing reasons, plaintiff’s motion for the appointment of counsel, filed March 20,

2006, is HEREBY DENIED, without prejudice.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: April 4, 2006 /s/ Lawrence J. O'Neill 

i0d3h8 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:06-cv-00304-OWW -LJO Document 10 Filed 04/04/06 Page 2 of 2