Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_17-cv-03348/USCOURTS-cand-4_17-cv-03348-0/pdf.json

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

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

E.J. MCELROY,

Plaintiff,

v.

ADAM, et al.,

Defendants.

Case No. 17-cv-03348-DMR (PR)

ORDER GRANTING IN FORMA 

PAUPERIS STATUS; AND DENYING 

MOTION FOR APPOINTMENT OF 

COUNSEL

Plaintiff’s application for in forma pauperis status is GRANTED. Dkt. 4. The total filing 

fee due is $350.00. The initial partial filing fee due for Plaintiff at this time is $0.00. A copy of 

this Order and the attached instruction sheet will be sent to Plaintiff, the Prison Trust Account 

Office and the court’s Financial Office.

Plaintiff, who has consented to magistrate judge jurisdiction, dkt. 1 at 11, also requests the 

appointment of counsel to represent him in this action, dkts. 3, 6. There is no constitutional right 

to counsel in a civil case unless an indigent litigant may lose his physical liberty if he loses the 

litigation. See Lassiter v. Dep’t of Soc. Servs., 452 U.S. 18, 25 (1981); Rand v. Rowland, 113 F.3d 

1520, 1525 (9th Cir. 1997) (no constitutional right to counsel in § 1983 action), withdrawn in part 

on other grounds on reh’g en banc, 154 F.3d 952 (9th Cir. 1998) (en banc). The court may ask 

counsel to represent an indigent litigant under 28 U.S.C. § 1915 only in “exceptional 

circumstances,” the determination of which requires an evaluation of both (1) the likelihood of 

success on the merits, and (2) the ability of the plaintiff to articulate his claims pro se in light of 

the complexity of the legal issues involved. See id. at 1525; Terrell v. Brewer, 935 F.2d 1015, 

1017 (9th Cir. 1991); Wilborn v. Escalderon, 789 F.2d 1328, 1331 (9th Cir. 1986). Both of these 

factors must be viewed together before reaching a decision on a request for counsel under section

1915. See id. 

Case 4:17-cv-03348-YGR Document 9 Filed 08/23/17 Page 1 of 4
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

The court is unable to assess at this time whether exceptional circumstances exist which 

would warrant seeking volunteer counsel to accept a pro bono appointment. The proceedings are 

at an early stage and it is premature for the court to determine Plaintiff’s likelihood of success on 

the merits. Moreover, Plaintiff has been able to articulate his claims adequately pro se in light of 

the complexity of the issues involved. See Agyeman v. Corrs. Corp. of Am., 390 F.3d 1101, 1103 

(9th Cir. 2004). Accordingly, the request for appointment of counsel at this time is DENIED. 

Dkts. 3, 6.

This Order terminates Docket nos. 3, 4, and 6.

Dated: August 23, 2017 

______________________________________

DONNA M. RYU

United States Magistrate Judge

Case 4:17-cv-03348-YGR Document 9 Filed 08/23/17 Page 2 of 4
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PAYMENT OF PRISONER’S FILING FEE

The prisoner shown as the plaintiff or petitioner on the attached order has filed a civil action in 

forma pauperis in this court and owes to the court a filing fee. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915, the 

fee is to be paid as follows:

The initial partial filing fee listed on the attached order should be 

deducted by the prison trust account office from the prisoner’s trust 

account and forwarded to the clerk of the court as the first 

installment payment on the filing fee. This amount is twenty 

percent of the greater of (a) the average monthly deposits to the 

prisoner’s account for the 6-month period immediately preceding 

the filing of the complaint/petition or (b) the average monthly 

balance in the prisoner’s account for the 6-month period 

immediately preceding the filing of the complaint/petition. 

Thereafter, on a monthly basis, 20 percent of the preceding month’s 

income credited to the prisoner’s trust account should be deducted 

and forwarded to the court each time the amount in the account 

exceeds ten dollars ($10.00). The prison trust account office should 

continue to do this until the filing fee has been paid in full. 

If the prisoner does not have sufficient funds in his/her account to pay the initial partial filing fee, 

the prison trust account office should forward the available funds, and carry the balance forward 

each month until the amount is fully paid. 

If the prisoner has filed more than one complaint, (s)he is required to pay a filing fee for each case. 

The trust account office should make the monthly calculations and payments for each case in 

which it receives an order granting in forma pauperis and these instructions.

The prisoner’s name and case number must be noted on each remittance. The initial partial 

filing fee is due within thirty days of the date of the attached order. Checks should be made 

payable to Clerk, U.S. District Court and sent to Prisoner Accounts Receivable, U.S. District 

Court, 450 Golden Gate Avenue, Box 36060, San Francisco, CA 94102.

cc: Plaintiff/Petitioner

Finance Office

Case 4:17-cv-03348-YGR Document 9 Filed 08/23/17 Page 3 of 4
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

E.J. MCELROY,

Plaintiff,

v.

ADAM, et al.,

Defendants.

Case No. 4:17-cv-03348-DMR 

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I, the undersigned, hereby certify that I am an employee in the Office of the Clerk, U.S. 

District Court, Northern District of California.

That on August 23, 2017, I SERVED a true and correct copy(ies) of the attached, by 

placing said copy(ies) in a postage paid envelope addressed to the person(s) hereinafter listed, by 

depositing said envelope in the U.S. Mail, or by placing said copy(ies) into an inter-office delivery 

receptacle located in the Clerk's office.

E.J. McElroy ID: P71922

480 Alta Road

San Diego, CA 92179 

Prison Trust Account Office

480 Alta Road

San Diego, CA 92179 

Dated: August 23, 2017

Susan Y. Soong

Clerk, United States District Court

By:________________________

Ivy Lerma Garcia, Deputy Clerk to the 

Honorable DONNA M. RYU

Case 4:17-cv-03348-YGR Document 9 Filed 08/23/17 Page 4 of 4