Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_11-cv-02953/USCOURTS-casd-3_11-cv-02953-0/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

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JAVON LAMAR TORBERT,

CDCR #P-96193,

Civil No. 11cv2953 DMS (WMc)

Plaintiff, ORDER: 

(1) GRANTING MOTION TO

PROCEED IN FORMA PAUPERIS, IMPOSING NO PARTIAL FILING

FEE, GARNISHING $350 BALANCE

FROM PRISONER’S TRUST

ACCOUNT [ECF No. 2]; 

(2) DENYING MOTION FOR

APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL

[ECF No. 3]

AND

(3) DIRECTING U.S. MARSHAL

TO EFFECT SERVICE OF

COMPLAINT PURSUANT TO

FED.R.CIV.P. 4(c)(3) & 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915(d)

vs.

COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO; MADSEN;

STORTON; BLACK; MIDECKE;

OGSBERT; JOHN DOES,

Defendants.

Javon Lamar Torbert (“Plaintiff”), a state prisoner currently incarcerated at High Desert

State Prison, and proceeding pro se, has submitted a civil action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983.

Plaintiff has filed a Motion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (“IFP”) pursuant to 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915(a) [ECF No. 2], along with a Motion for Appointment of Counsel [ECF No. 3].

/ / /

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2 11cv2953 DMS (WMc)

I. MOTION TO PROCEED IFP [ECF NO. 2]

All parties instituting any civil action, suit or proceeding in a district court of the United

States, except an application for writ of habeas corpus, must pay a filing fee of $350. See 28

U.S.C. § 1914(a). An action may proceed despite a plaintiff’s failure to prepay the entire fee

only if the plaintiff is granted leave to proceed IFP pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a). See

Rodriguez v. Cook, 169 F.3d 1176, 1177 (9th Cir. 1999). However, prisoners granted leave to

proceed IFP remain obligated to pay the entire fee in installments, regardless of whether their

action is ultimately dismissed. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1) & (2).

The Court finds that Plaintiff has submitted an affidavit which complies with 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915(a)(1), and that he has attached a certified copy of his trust account statement pursuant to

28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(2) and S.D.CAL.CIVLR 3.2. Plaintiff’s trust account statement shows that

he has no available funds from which to pay filing fees at this time. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(4).

Therefore, the Court GRANTS Plaintiff’s Motion to Proceed IFP [ECF No. 2] and assesses no

initial partial filing fee per 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1). However, the entire $350 balance of the

filing fee mandated shall be collected and forwarded to the Clerk of the Court pursuant to the

installment payment provisions set forth in 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1).

II. MOTION FOR APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL [ECF NO. 3]

Plaintiff also requests the appointment of counsel to assist him in prosecuting this civil

action. The Constitution provides no right to appointment of counsel in a civil case, however,

unless an indigent litigant may lose his physical liberty if he loses the litigation. Lassiter v.

Dept. of Social Services, 452 U.S. 18, 25 (1981). Nonetheless, under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1),

district courts are granted discretion to appoint counsel for indigent persons. This discretion may

be exercised only under “exceptional circumstances.” Terrell v. Brewer, 935 F.2d 1015, 1017

(9th Cir. 1991). “A finding of exceptional circumstances 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.’ Neither of these issues is dispositive and

both must be viewed together before reaching a decision.” Id. (quoting Wilborn v. Escalderon,

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

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3 11cv2953 DMS (WMc)

The Court denies Plaintiff’s request without prejudice, as neither the interests of justice

nor exceptional circumstances warrant appointment of counsel at this time. LaMere v. Risley,

827 F.2d 622, 626 (9th Cir. 1987); Terrell, 935 F.2d at 1017.

III. INITIAL SCREENING PER 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2)(b)(ii) and 1915A(b)(1)

Notwithstanding IFP status or the payment of any partial filing fee, the Court must subject

each civil action commenced pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a) to mandatory screening and order

the sua sponte dismissal of any case it finds “frivolous, malicious, failing to state a claim upon

which relief may be granted, or seeking monetary relief from a defendant immune from such

relief.” 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B); Lopez v. Smith, 203 F.3d 1122, 1126-27 (9th Cir. 2000) (en

banc) (noting that 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e) “not only permits but requires” the court to sua sponte

dismiss an in forma pauperis complaint that fails to state a claim). 

“[W]hen determining whether a complaint states a claim, a court must accept as true all

allegations of material fact and must construe those facts in the light most favorable to the

plaintiff.” Resnick v. Hayes, 213 F.3d 443, 447 (9th Cir. 2000). In addition, the Court has a duty

to liberally construe a pro se’s pleadings, see Karim-Panahi v. Los Angeles Police Dep’t, 839

F.2d 621, 623 (9th Cir. 1988), which is “particularly important in civil rights cases.” Ferdik v.

Bonzelet, 963 F.2d 1258, 1261 (9th Cir. 1992). 

The Court finds that Plaintiff’s claims are sufficiently pleaded to survive the sua sponte

screening required by 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2) and 1915A(b). Therefore, Plaintiff is entitled to

U.S. Marshal service on his behalf. See Lopez, 203 F.3d at 1126-27; 28 U.S.C. § 1915(d) (“The

officers of the court shall issue and serve all process, and perform all duties in [IFP] cases.”);

FED.R.CIV.P. 4(c)(3) (“[T]he court may order that service be made by a United States marshal

or deputy marshal ... if the plaintiff is authorized to proceed in forma pauperis under 28 U.S.C.

§ 1915.”). Plaintiff is cautioned, however, that “the sua sponte screening and dismissal

procedure is cumulative of, and not a substitute for, any subsequent Rule 12(b)(6) motion that

[a defendant] may choose to bring.” Teahan v. Wilhelm, 481 F. Supp. 2d 1115, 1119 (S.D. Cal.

2007).

/ / /

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IV. CONCLUSION AND ORDER

Good cause appearing, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Plaintiff’s Motion to proceed IFP pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a) [ECF No. 2] is

GRANTED. 

2. The Secretary of California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or his

designee, shall collect from Plaintiff’s prison trust account the $350 balance of the filing fee

owed in this case by collecting monthly payments from the account in an amount equal to twenty

percent (20%) of the preceding month’s income and forward payments to the Clerk of the Court

each time the amount in the account exceeds $10 in accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2).

ALL PAYMENTS SHALL BE CLEARLY IDENTIFIED BY THE NAME AND NUMBER

ASSIGNED TO THIS ACTION.

3. The Clerk of the Court is directed to serve a copy of this Order on Matthew Cate,

Secretary, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, 1515 S Street, Suite 502,

Sacramento, California 95814.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that:

4. Plaintiff’s Motion for Appointment of Counsel [ECF No. 3] is DENIED without

prejudice.

5. The Clerk shall issue a summons as to Plaintiff’s Complaint [ECF No. 1] upon the

Defendants and shall and forward it to Plaintiff along with a blank U.S. Marshal Form 285 for

each Defendant. In addition, the Clerk shall provide Plaintiff with a certified copy of this Order

and a certified copy of his Complaint and the summons for purposes of serving the Defendants.

Upon receipt of this “IFP Package,” Plaintiff is directed to complete the Form 285 as completely

and accurately as possible, and to return it to the United States Marshal according to the

instructions provided by the Clerk in the letter accompanying his IFP package. Thereafter, the

U.S. Marshal shall serve a copy of the Complaint and summons upon the Defendants as directed

by Plaintiff on the USM Form 285. All costs of service shall be advanced by the United States.

See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(d); FED.R.CIV.P. 4(c)(3).

/ / /

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6. Plaintiff shall serve upon the Defendants or, if appearance has been entered by

counsel, upon Defendants’ counsel, a copy of every further pleading or other document

submitted for consideration of the Court. Plaintiff shall include with the original paper to be

filed with the Clerk of the Court a certificate stating the manner in which a true and correct copy

of any document was served on the Defendants, or counsel for Defendants, and the date of

service. Any paper received by the Court which has not been filed with the Clerk or which fails

to include a Certificate of Service will be disregarded.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: December 29, 2011

HON. DANA M. SABRAW

United States District Judge

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