Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_07-cv-00269/USCOURTS-caed-1_07-cv-00269-38/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

VINCENT BRUCE,

Plaintiff,

v.

JEANNE WOODFORD, et al.,

Defendant.

1:07-cv-00269-BAM (PC) 

ORDER DENYING MOTION FOR

APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL FOR TRIAL

(ECF No. 237)

On October 28, 2016, Plaintiff filed a motion seeking the appointment of counsel for trial, 

which currently is scheduled for February 14, 2017. 

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 

on the merits [and] the ability of the [plaintiff] to articulate his claims pro se in light of the 

Case 1:07-cv-00269-BAM Document 239 Filed 11/09/16 Page 1 of 2
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complexity of the legal issues involved.” Id. (internal quotation marks and citations omitted).

Plaintiff contends that he requires the assistance of counsel to prepare for and conduct the 

trial because he is indigent, he has been unable to secure pro bono counsel, he cannot locate and 

secure certain witnesses and testimony, he cannot simultaneously testify and object to questions 

by defendants’ counsel, he has no legal training, he only has a high school education, this case is 

legally and factually complex and there are no civil trial books available to assist him. 

Plaintiff’s case is not exceptional. This Court is faced with similar cases almost daily, and 

prisoners routinely represent themselves at trial without the benefit of legal experience or 

training. Plaintiff’s situation is not dissimilar from other prisoners bringing their cases to trial 

while dealing with the restrictions of confinement. With regard to securing the testimony of 

various witnesses, the Court has provided Plaintiff with the procedures for obtaining attendance 

of incarcerated and unincarcerated witnesses at trial. (ECF Nos. 232, 234). More importantly, 

the Court does not find that Plaintiff cannot adequately articulate his claims. Id. Indeed, Plaintiff 

has successfully prosecuted certain of his claims through summary judgment, and those claims 

are now proceeding to trial. 

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

HEREBY DENIED, without prejudice.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: November 9, 2016 /s/ Barbara A. McAuliffe _

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:07-cv-00269-BAM Document 239 Filed 11/09/16 Page 2 of 2