Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_14-cv-01525/USCOURTS-caed-1_14-cv-01525-8/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

SAMUEL ROBINSON,

Plaintiff,

v.

VICTOR V. KITT, et al.,

Defendant.

1:14-cv-01525 JLT (PC) 

ORDER DISCHARGING OSC AND

DENYING PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR

APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL 

(Docs. 35, 39)

On March 15, 2016, the Court ordered Plaintiff to show cause why this action should not 

be dismissed based on his failure to obey a court order and prosecute this action since he failed 

file an opposition or statement of non-opposition to Defendant’s motion to dismiss. (Doc. 35.) 

On April 7, 2016, Plaintiff filed a response indicating that he had prepared an opposition, but 

inadvertently sent it to the wrong address. (Doc. 39.) Indeed, Plaintiff’s opposition has been 

received and filed in this action. (Doc. 36.) Thus, the order to show cause discharged. 

Further, in his response to the order to show cause, Plaintiff requested the appointment of 

counsel. Plaintiff does not have a constitutional right to appointed counsel in this action, Rand v. 

Rowland, 113 F.3d 1520, 1525 (9th Cir. 1997), and the Court cannot require an attorney to 

represent Plaintiff pursuant to 28 U.S.C. ' 1915(e)(1), Mallard v. United States District Court for 

the Southern District of Iowa, 490 U.S. 296, 298, 109 S.Ct. 1814, 1816 (1989). However, in 

certain exceptional circumstances the court may request the voluntary assistance of counsel 

pursuant to section 1915(e)(1). Rand, 113 F.3d at 1525. 

However, without a reasonable method of securing and compensating counsel, the Court 

Case 1:14-cv-01525-DAD-JLT Document 40 Filed 04/13/16 Page 1 of 2
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will seek volunteer counsel only in the most serious and exceptional cases. In determining 

whether Aexceptional circumstances exist, the district court must evaluate 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.@ Id. (internal quotation marks and citations omitted).

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. Further, 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. 

Id. 

Accordingly, it is HEREBY ORDERED that the order to show cause, issued on March 15, 

2016 (Doc. 35), is DISCHARGED, and Plaintiff=s motion for the appointment of counsel, filed on 

April 7, 2016, is DENIED, without prejudice.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: April 12, 2016 /s/ Jennifer L. Thurston 

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:14-cv-01525-DAD-JLT Document 40 Filed 04/13/16 Page 2 of 2