Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_15-cv-01075/USCOURTS-cand-3_15-cv-01075-0/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 

KEVIN ALLEN, 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

L. TOBIN, et al., 

Defendants. 

Case No. 15-cv-01075-JCS (PR) 

ORDER DENYING SECOND 

MOTION FOR THE APPOINTMENT 

OF COUNSEL 

Dkt. No. 15 

Plaintiff moves for the second time for the appointment of counsel (Docket No. 15), 

alleging that his poverty, lack of education and legal knowledge, dyslexia and other 

learning disabilities, and his having to rely on the assistance of a fellow inmate warrant the 

appointment of counsel. 

 The decision to request counsel to represent an indigent litigant under 28 U.S.C. 

§ 1915 is within “the sound discretion of the trial court and is granted only in exceptional 

circumstances.” Franklin v. Murphy, 745 F.2d 1221, 1236 (9th Cir. 1984). A finding of 

“exceptional circumstances” requires an evaluation of the likelihood of the plaintiff’s 

success on the merits and an evaluation of the plaintiff’s ability to articulate his claims pro 

se in light of the complexity of the legal issues involved. See Agyeman v. Corrections 

Corp. of America, 390 F.3d 1101, 1103 (9th Cir. 2004). Neither the need for discovery, 

nor the fact that the pro se litigant would be better served with the assistance of counsel, 

necessarily qualify the issues involved as complex. See Rand v. Rowland, 113 F.3d 1520, 

1525 (9th Cir. 1997). 

 The motion fails to show exceptional circumstances exist. First, the case does not 

present legally or factually complex issues. Second, many of the circumstances plaintiff 

Case 3:15-cv-01075-JCS Document 21 Filed 04/20/16 Page 1 of 3
United States District Court 

Northern District of California 

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des

fac

art

req

the

Da

scribes, suc

ce. Furtherm

ticulate, rea

quired, and 

e motion is 

The Cl

IT IS S

ated: April

ch as a lack 

more, he ha

soned moti

plaintiff ha

DENIED. 

lerk shall te

SO ORDER

l 20, 2016

of legal kn

as been able

ons and oth

as not shown

erminate Do

RED.

2

nowledge, ar

e to file, wit

her docume

n that extra

ocket No. 15

 

re difficulti

th the assist

nts with the

aordinary ci

5. 

________

JOSEPH 

 Chief Ma

ies all priso

tance of a f

e Court. Co

ircumstance

__________

C. SPERO

agistrate Jud

oner-plaintif

fellow inma

ounsel there

es exist. Ac

_________

O 

dge 

ffs must 

ate, 

efore is not 

ccordingly, 

_

Case 3:15-cv-01075-JCS Document 21 Filed 04/20/16 Page 2 of 3
United States District Court 

Northern District of California 

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K

L

Dis

sai

dep

rec

Ke

Ke

P.O

De

Da

KEVIN ALLE

v. 

. TOBIN, et 

I, the un

strict Court, 

That on

d copy(ies) i

positing said

ceptacle loca

evin Allen ID

ern Valley St

O. Box 5101

elano, CA 93

ated: April 20

EN, 

Plaintiff, 

al., 

Defendants

ndersigned, 

Northern Di

n April 20, 2

in a postage 

d envelope in

ated in the Cl

D: K-41879 

tate Prison 

3216 

0, 2016 

UNITED

NORTHER

s. 

hereby certi

istrict of Cal

016, I SERV

paid envelo

n the U.S. M

lerk's office.

3

D STATES D

RN DISTRIC

fy that I am 

lifornia. 

VED a true a

ope addressed

Mail, or by pla

.

Su

Cl

By

K

H

DISTRICT C

CT OF CALI

Case No. 1

CERTIFIC

an employe

and correct c

d to the pers

acing said co

usan Y. Soon

lerk, United

y:_________

Karen Hom, D

Honorable JO

COURT 

IFORNIA 

15-cv-01075

CATE OF S

ee in the Offi

copy(ies) of 

son(s) herein

opy(ies) into

ng 

d States Distr

___________

Deputy Clerk

OSEPH C. SP

5-JCS 

SERVICE 

ice of the Cl

the attached

nafter listed, 

o an inter-off

rict Court 

_______ 

k to the 

PERO 

erk, U.S. 

d, by placing 

by 

ffice delivery

Case 3:15-cv-01075-JCS Document 21 Filed 04/20/16 Page 3 of 3