Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_16-cv-03267/USCOURTS-cand-4_16-cv-03267-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 555
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Prison Condition
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JERRY DILLINGHAM,

Plaintiff,

v.

EVA SCRUGGS, et al.,

Defendants.

Case No. 16-cv-03267-YGR (PR)

ORDER GRANTING IN FORMA 

PAUPERIS STATUS; AND DENYING 

MOTION FOR APPOINTMENT OF 

COUNSEL

Plaintiff’s application for in forma pauperis status is GRANTED. Dkt. 4. The total filing 

fee due is $350.00. The initial partial filing fee due for Plaintiff at this time is $0.00. A copy of 

this Order and the attached instruction sheet will be sent to Plaintiff, the Prison Trust Account 

Office and the Court’s Financial Office.

Plaintiff also requests the appointment of counsel to represent him in this action. Dkts. 6, 

7. There is no constitutional right to counsel in a civil case unless an indigent litigant may lose his 

physical liberty if he loses the litigation. See Lassiter v. Dep’t of Soc. Servs., 452 U.S. 18, 25 

(1981); Rand v. Rowland, 113 F.3d 1520, 1525 (9th Cir. 1997) (no constitutional right to counsel 

in § 1983 action), withdrawn in part on other grounds on reh’g en banc, 154 F.3d 952 (9th Cir. 

1998) (en banc). The court may ask counsel to represent an indigent litigant under 28 U.S.C. 

§ 1915 only in “exceptional circumstances,” the determination of which requires an evaluation of 

both (1) the likelihood of success on the merits, and (2) the ability of the plaintiff to articulate his 

claims pro se in light of the complexity of the legal issues involved. See id. at 1525; Terrell v. 

Brewer, 935 F.2d 1015, 1017 (9th Cir. 1991); Wilborn v. Escalderon, 789 F.2d 1328, 1331 (9th 

Cir. 1986). Both of these factors must be viewed together before reaching a decision on a request 

for counsel under section 1915. See id. 

The Court is unable to assess at this time whether exceptional circumstances exist which 

Case 4:16-cv-03267-YGR Document 8 Filed 10/20/16 Page 1 of 3
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

would warrant seeking volunteer counsel to accept a pro bono appointment. The proceedings are 

at an early stage and it is premature for the Court to determine Plaintiff’s likelihood of success on 

the merits. Moreover, Plaintiff has been able to articulate his claims adequately pro se in light of 

the complexity of the issues involved. See Agyeman v. Corrs. Corp. of Am., 390 F.3d 1101, 1103 

(9th Cir. 2004). Accordingly, the request for appointment of counsel at this time is DENIED. 

Dkts. 6, 7.

This Order terminates Docket nos. 4, 6 and 7.

Dated:

______________________________________

YVONNE GONZALEZ ROGERS

United States District Court Judge

October 20, 2016

Case 4:16-cv-03267-YGR Document 8 Filed 10/20/16 Page 2 of 3
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PAYMENT OF PRISONER'S FILING FEE

The prisoner shown as the plaintiff or petitioner on the attached order has filed a civil 

action in forma pauperis in this court and owes to the court a filing fee. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 

1915, the fee is to be paid as follows:

The initial partial filing fee listed on the attached order should be deducted by the prison 

trust account office from the prisoner's trust account and forwarded to the clerk of the court as the 

first installment payment on the filing fee. This amount is twenty percent of the greater of (a) the 

average monthly deposits to the prisoner's account for the 6-month period immediately preceding 

the filing of the complaint/petition or (b) the average monthly balance in the prisoner's account for 

the 6-month period immediately preceding the filing of the complaint/petition. 

Thereafter, on a monthly basis, 20 percent of the preceding month's income credited to the 

prisoner's trust account should be deducted and forwarded to the court each time the amount in the 

account exceeds ten dollars ($10.00). The prison trust account office should continue to do this 

until the filing fee has been paid in full. 

If the prisoner does not have sufficient funds in his/her account to pay the initial partial 

filing fee, the prison trust account office should forward the available funds, and carry the balance 

forward each month until the amount is fully paid. 

If the prisoner has filed more than one complaint, (s)he is required to pay a filing fee for 

each case. The trust account office should make the monthly calculations and payments for each 

case in which it receives an order granting in forma pauperis and these instructions.

The prisoner's name and case number must be noted on each remittance. The initial 

partial filing fee is due within thirty days of the date of the attached order. Checks should be made 

payable to Clerk, U.S. District Court and sent to Prisoner Accounts Receivable, U.S. District 

Court, 450 Golden Gate Avenue, Box 36060, San Francisco, CA 94102.

cc: Plaintiff/Petitioner

Finance Office

Prison Trust Account Office

Case 4:16-cv-03267-YGR Document 8 Filed 10/20/16 Page 3 of 3