Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_03-cv-00241/USCOURTS-caed-2_03-cv-00241-13/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

TERRY JAY MEYERS,

Plaintiff, No. CIV S-03-0241 LKK GGH P

vs.

SHERIFF JIM POPE, et al.,

 ORDER

Defendants.

 /

Counsel for plaintiff’s motion to withdraw came on for hearing on September 17,

2009. Kelly Smith, plaintiff’s counsel, appeared at the hearing. Defendants’ counsel, who had

filed a statement of non-opposition to the motion elected not to appear, having been granted

permission not to appear if counsel so chose. See Order, filed on August 27, 2009 (docket #

103). This court had previously rejected the stipulation signed by plaintiff and his counsel in

support of the motion because it was evident that the presumption was that new counsel would

and could be easily appointed without much consideration given to the extraordinary burden

placed on this court in once again seeking counsel for plaintiff in this complicated, six-year-old

civil litigation. The court was, and remains, dismayed that the recently scheduled settlement

conference had to be vacated, apparently due to plaintiff’s unwillingness to be transported to

Sacramento. 

Case 2:03-cv-00241-AK Document 105 Filed 09/21/09 Page 1 of 3
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The document is dated August 28, 2009, on the face page, although plaintiff confusingly 1

indicates that he served it, the day before, on August 27, 2009.

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Plaintiff, in his letter/memorandum directed to the Ninth Circuit but also filed in

this court (and stamped by the Court Clerk as filed on September 2, 2009 (docket # 104)),1

mistakenly assumes that following this court’s reference of this case to the King Hall Civil

Rights Clinic that the clinic referred the case to his present counsel. However, it was the district

court which was tasked with locating and appointing Mr. Smith from a limited list of prospective

pro bono counsel for prisoner (or civil detainees’) civil rights actions for this district. Any newly

appointed counsel is likely at a minimum to be required to travel several times to Coalinga,

where plaintiff is apparently currently housed, as well as to Shasta County, where the defendants

are located. New counsel, even if such counsel can be located, is likely to need a significant

amount of time to familiarize himself or herself with this case and may seek basically to re-start

this rapidly aging case.

Nevertheless, after hearing plaintiff’s counsel and also considering plaintiff pro

se’s filing, the court will grant the motion to withdraw. The court will seek to find replacement

counsel; however, at this time, plaintiff will be required to proceed pro se, and will be required to

conform to the deadlines set forth in the Order, filed on August 21, 2009 (docket # 100). 

Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that:

1. Plaintiff’s counsel’s motion to withdraw as counsel, filed on August 24, 2009

(docket # 101), is granted;

2. Plaintiff must proceed pro se until such time as new counsel can, if possible, be

located and substituted in;

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3. The parties are cautioned that the August 21, 2009, Order (docket # 100),

setting a new deadline of January 15, 2010, for re-opened discovery, and a June 14, 2010,

dispositive motion deadline remains in effect at this time; 

4. In addition to counsel for both parties, this order is to be served upon plaintiff

pro se at the mailing address plaintiff included in his letter at docket # 104, i.e.,: Terry J. Meyers,

CO# 00064-6 / P.O. Box 5003 / Unit 7 / Coalinga, California 93210-5003; and 

5. The Clerk of the Court is to note in the docket of this case that plaintiff now

proceeds pro se.

DATED: September 21, 2009 /s/ Gregory G. Hollows

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

GGH:009

meye0241.ord2

Case 2:03-cv-00241-AK Document 105 Filed 09/21/09 Page 3 of 3