Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_20-cv-00362/USCOURTS-caed-2_20-cv-00362-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 28:1983 Civil Rights

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

CARINA CONERLY,

Plaintiff,

v.

SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA,

et al.,

Defendants.

No. 2:20-cv-0362-KJM-KJN PS

ORDER

(ECF No. 6)

On February 18, Plaintiff filed a Complaint, paid the filing fee, and also filed a motion to 

proceed in forma pauperis (IFP).1 (ECF Nos. 1, 2). On February 21, Plaintiff filed a motion to 

appoint counsel. (ECF No. 6.)

Any successful application for appointment of counsel must comply with criteria set forth 

in Bradshaw v. Zoological Society of San Diego, 662 F.2d 1301 (9th Cir. 1981). Before 

appointing counsel to a plaintiff, the court must consider (1) plaintiff’s financial resources, (2) the 

efforts already made by plaintiff to secure counsel, and (3) plaintiff’s likelihood of success on the 

merits. Id. at 1318. “The plaintiff has the burden of proof and must meet all three factors.”

Reddy v. Precyse Sols. LLC, 2013 WL 2603413, at *1 (E.D. Cal. June 11, 2013) (citing Castner 

v. Colorado Springs Cablevision, 979 F.2d 1417, 1421 (10th Cir.1992)). Appointment of counsel 

1 This matter proceeds before the undersigned pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(c) and Local Rule 

302(c)(21).

Case 2:20-cv-00362-KJM-KJN Document 9 Filed 03/04/20 Page 1 of 2
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is not a matter of right. See Ivey v. Bd. of Regents, 673 F. 2d 266 (9th Cir. 1982). Moreover, 

“counsel may be designated under section 1915(d) only in ‘exceptional circumstances’. . . 

[which] requires an evaluation of both ‘the likelihood of success on the merits [and] the ability of 

the petitioner to articulate [her] claims pro se in light of the complexity of the legal issues 

involved.’” Wilborn v. Escalderon, 789 F.2d 1328, 1331 (9th Cir. 1986) (cleaned up). 

Plaintiff asserts that two submitted declarations satisfy the first two Bradshaw factors. 

(See ECF No. 6.) She claims her application for IFP status satisfies a finding of indigency, and

claims her declaration as to her efforts to obtain an attorney satisfies the ‘efforts’ factor.2 

Regardless of these factors, the Court declines to appoint counsel based on the third Bradshaw

factor. Plaintiff asserts in a conclusory manner that she will prevail in her claims against the 

Superior Court system and its personnel for alleged civil rights violations in connection with a 

state-court proceeding. (See ECF No. 1.) Without deciding whether her claims are viable, it is 

too soon in the litigation to tell whether Plaintiff can succeed on the merits. 

Further, the Court sees no “exceptional circumstance” that would warrant counsel to be

appointed. The “exceptional circumstances” standard is met through evaluation of the likelihood 

of success on the merits and the ability of plaintiffs to articulate their claims in light of the 

complexity of the legal issues involved. Wilborn, 789 F.2d at 1331 (quoting Weygtandt v. Look, 

718 F.2d 952, 954 (9th Cir. 1983)). The Court sees no complex issues currently active. This case 

is still in its initial phase, as Plaintiff appears to have served Defendants with process just 

recently, none of whom have answered. The Court therefore does not find this matter to be so 

complex as to warrant the appointment of counsel.

Accordingly, it is HEREBY ORDERED that Plaintiff’s motion to appoint counsel (ECF 

No. 6) is DENIED. Further, because the filing fee has been satisfied, Plaintiff’s motion to 

proceed in forma pauperis is DENIED WITHOUT PREJUDICE as MOOT. (ECF No. 2.)

Dated: March 4, 2020

cone.362

2 However, the Court notes Plaintiff paid the filing fee, and has not granted her IFP request. 

Case 2:20-cv-00362-KJM-KJN Document 9 Filed 03/04/20 Page 2 of 2