Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_15-cv-00681/USCOURTS-cand-3_15-cv-00681-2/pdf.json

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

---

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

United States District Court 

Northern District of Californi

a

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

MICHAEL WALTER BERGER,

Plaintiff, 

v. 

JEFFREY BEARD, 

Defendant. 

Case No. 15-cv-0681-TEH 

ORDER DENYING MOTION TO 

APPOINT COUNSEL, GRANTING 

EXTENSION 

Re: Dkt. No. 24 

Plaintiff, a former state prisoner has filed a motion to 

appoint counsel. A district court has the discretion under 28 

U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1) to designate counsel to represent an indigent 

civil litigant in exceptional circumstances. See Wilborn v. 

Escalderon, 789 F.2d 1328, 1331 (9th Cir. 1986). This requires 

an evaluation of both the likelihood of success on the merits and 

the ability of the plaintiff to articulate his claims pro se in 

light of the complexity of the legal issues involved. See id. 

Neither of these factors is dispositive and both must be viewed 

together before deciding on a request for counsel under § 1915 

(e)(1). Here, exceptional circumstances requiring the 

appointment of counsel are not evident. The request for 

appointment of counsel is therefore DENIED. 

Plaintiff will be provided an extension to file an 

opposition to the motion for summary judgment. Plaintiff shall 

file the opposition by January 25, 2016. The Clerk shall send 

Case 3:15-cv-00681-TEH Document 25 Filed 12/23/15 Page 1 of 2
2 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

United States District Court 

Northern District of Californi

a

Plaintiff a copy of the memorandum of points and authorities for 

summary judgment (Docket No. 21-1). 

This order terminates Docket No. 24. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated:12/23/2015 

________________________ 

THELTON E. HENDERSON 

United States District Judge 

G:\PRO-SE\TEH\CR.15\Berger0681.ext2.docx

Case 3:15-cv-00681-TEH Document 25 Filed 12/23/15 Page 2 of 2