Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_13-cv-01092/USCOURTS-cand-3_13-cv-01092-4/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

For the Northern District of California

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DENNIS LAMAR JAMES, JR., 

Plaintiff,

v.

OAKLAND POLICE DEPT.; et al.,

Defendants.

______________________________/

DENNIS LAMAR JAMES, JR.,

Plaintiff,

v.

HAYWARD POLICE 

DEPARTMENT; et al., 

Defendants. /

No. C 13-011 SI (pr)

No. C 13-1092 SI

ORDER REFERRING PLAINTIFF TO

FEDERAL PRO BONO PROJECT

FOR LIMITED APPOINTMENT OF

COUNSEL

In Case No. C 13-011 SI, plaintiff sued several Oakland police officers and the

municipality for the use of excessive force during his arrest on February 19, 2012, and sued

several doctors for deliberate indifference to his medical needs during his hospital visit after his

arrest. In Case No. C 13-1092 SI, plaintiff sued Hayward police officers and the municipality

for unlawful arrest and excessive force during his arrest on March 23, 2011. On July 1, 2014,

the court stayed both actions due to plaintiff's placement at Napa State Hospital, the length of

which was unknown. 

Plaintiff recently sent to the court a notice stating that he "was found insane at the time

he committed the offenses of mayhem and assault by means likely to produce great bodily harm"

Case 3:13-cv-01092-SI Document 29 Filed 01/13/15 Page 1 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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On February 19, 2012, plaintiff was arrested in Oakland for felony assault and aggravated

mayhem. See Docket # 19-3 at 8 in James v. Hayward Police Department, Case No. C 13-1092 SI. 

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and, in July 2013, he was committed to the state hospital for a maximum of twenty-one years.

Docket # 44 in Case No. C 13-011. The potentially lengthy duration of his confinement in the

state hospital makes a stay of these actions a less desirable option. See Davis v. Walker, 745

F.3d 1303, 1311 (9th Cir. 2014) (district court erred in staying action until plaintiff was

competent and able to represent himself pro se because the indefinite stay left his interests

unprotected and "functionally operated as a dismissal with prejudice"). 

The next question is whether plaintiff can represent himself or must have a representative

appointed for him. There is a mixed picture as to plaintiff's ability to represent himself. On the

one hand, plaintiff is at a state mental hospital and has been found insane when he committed

his crimes in early 2012.1

 On the other hand, plaintiff has been litigious and ably represented

himself in several actions in the last several years. His more recent federal litigation activities

include: (1) James v. Oakland Police Department, Case No. C 13-011 SI (stayed since July 1,

2014); (2) James v. Hayward Police Department, Case No. 13-1092 SI (stayed since July 1,

2014); (3) James v. CDCR, No. C 13-1820 SI (dismissed in September 2013, and dismissal

affirmed on appeal in August 2014); (4) James v. Puga, No. C 10-4009 SI (summary judgment

granted against plaintiff in May 2012; affirmed on appeal in October 2014); and (5) James v.

Maguire, No. C 10-1795 SI (settled in late 2012). The court will refer the matter for

appointment of counsel for the limited purpose of representing plaintiff in connection with

proceedings to determine whether to appoint a conservator/guardian ad litem to represent him

pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 17. Once the court resolves whether a conservator/

guardian ad litem should be appointed, the court will then decide whether to refer the action to

the Federal Pro Bono Project to find counsel for the remainder of the action. 

Good and just cause appearing, plaintiff is referred to the Federal Pro Bono Project in the

manner set forth below so that an attorney may be located for him:

(1) The clerk shall forward to the Federal Pro Bono Project: (a) a copy of this order,

(b) a memorandum outlining the facts and procedural posture of both actions, and (c) a copy of

Case 3:13-cv-01092-SI Document 29 Filed 01/13/15 Page 2 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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the court file.

(2) Upon an attorney being located to represent plaintiff, that attorney shall be

appointed as counsel for plaintiff in these two actions until further order of the court. Unless the

attorney volunteers otherwise, the scope of the appointment will be limited to

representation of plaintiff in connection with proceedings to determine whether to appoint

a conservator/guardian ad litem to represent him pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil

Procedure 17. 

(3) All proceedings in these two actions are stayed until four weeks from the date an

attorney is appointed to represent plaintiff in these actions.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: January 13, 2015 _______________________

 SUSAN ILLSTON

United States District Judge

Case 3:13-cv-01092-SI Document 29 Filed 01/13/15 Page 3 of 3