Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_05-cv-02065/USCOURTS-caed-2_05-cv-02065-0/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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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

RICHARD P. CHAPMAN, 

Plaintiff, No. CIV S-05-2065 FCD JFM P

vs.

WILLIAM M. GALLAGHER, et al.,

Defendants. ORDER

 /

Plaintiff, a state prisoner proceeding pro se, has filed a civil rights action pursuant

to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 together with a request for leave to proceed in forma pauperis pursuant to 28

U.S.C. § 1915. However, the certificate portion of the request which must be completed by

plaintiff’s institution of incarceration has not been filled out. Also, plaintiff has not filed a

certified copy of his prison trust account statement for the six month period immediately

preceding the filing of the complaint. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(2). Plaintiff will be provided the

opportunity to submit a completed in forma pauperis application and a certified copy in support

of his application.

On October 26, 2005, plaintiff filed a motion for appointment of counsel. The

United States Supreme Court has ruled that district courts lack authority to require counsel to

represent indigent prisoners in § 1983 cases. Mallard v. United States Dist. Court, 490 U.S. 296,

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298 (1989). In certain exceptional circumstances, the court may request the voluntary assistance

of counsel pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1). Terrell v. Brewer, 935 F.2d 1015, 1017 (9th Cir.

1991); Wood v. Housewright, 900 F.2d 1332, 1335-36 (9th Cir. 1990). In the present case, the

court does not find the required exceptional circumstances. Plaintiff’s motion for the

appointment of counsel will therefore be denied.

Finally, on November 7, 2005, plaintiff filed a motion for leave to amend his

complaint. Plaintiff’s motion was not accompanied by a proposed amended complaint. Plaintiff

is entitled to amend his complaint once as a matter of right prior to service of a responsive

pleading. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 15. The court has not yet ordered service on any defendant, so

plaintiff may amend his complaint as a matter of right. Good cause appearing, plaintiff’s original

complaint will be dismissed and plaintiff will be granted a period of thirty days in which to file

an amended complaint. 

In accordance with the above, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Plaintiff shall submit, within thirty days from the date of this order, a 

completed affidavit in support of his request to proceed in forma pauperis on the form provided

by the Clerk of Court; 

2. The Clerk of the Court is directed to send plaintiff a new Application to

Proceed In Forma Pauperis By a Prisoner; and

3. Plaintiff shall submit, within thirty days from the date of this order, a certified

copy of his prison trust account statement for the six month period immediately preceding the

filing of the complaint. 

4. Plaintiff’s October 26, 2005 motion for appointment of counsel is denied.

5. Plaintiff’s November 7, 2005 motion to amend is granted.

6. Plaintiff’s original complaint is dismissed.

7. Plaintiff is granted thirty days from the date of service of this order to file an

amended complaint that complies with the requirements of the Civil Rights Act, the Federal

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Rules of Civil Procedure, and the Local Rules of Practice; the amended complaint must bear the

docket number assigned this case and must be labeled “Amended Complaint”; plaintiff must file

an original and two copies of the amended complaint.

8. Plaintiff is cautioned that failure to file a completed in forma pauperis

application accompanied by a certified copy of his prison trust account statement, or to file an

amended complaint in accordance with this order, will result in a recommendation that this

action be dismissed.

DATED: November 28, 2005. 

12/kf

chap2065.3c+n

Case 2:05-cv-02065-FCD-JFM Document 10 Filed 11/29/05 Page 3 of 3