Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_18-cv-02921/USCOURTS-caed-2_18-cv-02921-6/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 

RAFAEL GODINEZ, 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

SCOTT KERNAN, et al., 

Defendants. 

No. 2:18-cv-2921-TLN-EFB P 

ORDER 

Plaintiff is a state prisoner proceeding without counsel in an action brought under 42 

U.S.C. § 1983. He has again requested that the court appoint counsel. As plaintiff was 

previously informed, see ECF No. 20, district courts lack authority to require counsel to represent 

indigent prisoners in section 1983 cases. Mallard v. United States Dist. Court, 490 U.S. 296, 298 

(1989). In exceptional circumstances, the court may request an attorney to voluntarily to 

represent such a plaintiff. See 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). When 

determining whether “exceptional circumstances” exist, the court must consider the likelihood of 

success on the merits as well as the ability of the plaintiff to articulate his claims pro se in light of 

the complexity of the legal issues involved. Palmer v. Valdez, 560 F.3d 965, 970 (9th Cir. 2009). 

Having considered those factors, the court finds there are no exceptional circumstances in this 

case. 

Case 2:18-cv-02921-TLN-JDP Document 33 Filed 01/22/20 Page 1 of 2
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 Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that plaintiff’s request for appointment of 

counsel (ECF No. 32) is denied. 

DATED: January 22, 2020. 

Case 2:18-cv-02921-TLN-JDP Document 33 Filed 01/22/20 Page 2 of 2