Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_04-cv-06766/USCOURTS-caed-1_04-cv-06766-13/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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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

REGINALD COLBERT,

Plaintiff,

vs.

A.K. SCRIBNER, et al.,

Defendants. 

__________________________________/

1:04-cv-6766 AWI DLB (PC)

ORDER DENYING SECOND MOTION

FOR APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL

(DOCUMENT #55)

On February 19, 2008, plaintiff filed a motion seeking 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. 

Without a reasonable method of securing and compensating counsel, the court will

seek volunteer counsel only in the most serious and exceptional cases. In determining whether

“exceptional 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

Case 1:04-cv-06766-AWI-DLB Document 56 Filed 03/07/08 Page 1 of 2
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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.

For the foregoing reasons, plaintiff’s motion for the appointment of counsel is

HEREBY DENIED, without prejudice. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: March 7, 2008 /s/ Dennis L. Beck 

3c0h UNI j8 TED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:04-cv-06766-AWI-DLB Document 56 Filed 03/07/08 Page 2 of 2