Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_14-cv-01217/USCOURTS-caed-1_14-cv-01217-5/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

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

GUSTAVO TORRES,

Plaintiff,

v.

WADDEL,

Defendant.

1:14-cv-01217-BAM (PC) 

ORDER DENYING MOTION FOR

APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL 

(ECF No. 17)

Plaintiff Gustavo Torres (“Plaintiff”) is a state prisoner proceeding pro se and in forma 

pauperis in this civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. On February 25, 2015, Plaintiff 

filed a motion seeking the appointment of counsel. Plaintiff does not have a constitutional right 

to appointed counsel in this action, Rand v. Rowland, 113 F.3d 1520, 1525 (9th Cir. 1997), and 

the Court cannot require an attorney to represent plaintiff pursuant to 28 U.S.C. ' 1915(e)(1). 

Mallard v. United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, 490 U.S. 296, 298, 109 

S.Ct. 1814, 1816 (1989). However, in certain exceptional circumstances the Court may request 

the voluntary assistance of counsel pursuant to section 1915(e)(1). Rand, 113 F.3d at 1525. 

Without a reasonable method of securing and compensating counsel, the Court will seek 

volunteer counsel only in the most serious and exceptional cases. In determining whether 

Aexceptional circumstances exist, the district court must evaluate both the likelihood of success on

the merits [and] the ability of the [plaintiff] to articulate his claims pro se in light of the 

Case 1:14-cv-01217-DAD-BAM Document 18 Filed 02/27/15 Page 1 of 2
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complexity of the legal issues involved.@ Id. (internal quotation marks and citations omitted).

In the present case, the Court does not find the required exceptional circumstances. Even 

if it is assumed that Plaintiff is not well versed in the law and that he has made serious allegations 

which, if proved, would entitle him to relief, his case is not exceptional. This Court is faced with 

similar cases almost daily from indigent prisoners in Administrative Segregation with limited 

access to the law library. If Plaintiff requires additional time meet court deadlines, he may 

request appropriate extensions of time. Further, at this early stage in the proceedings, the Court 

cannot make a determination that Plaintiff is likely to succeed on the merits, and based on a 

review of the record in this case, the Court does not find that Plaintiff cannot adequately articulate 

his claims. Id. 

For the foregoing reasons, Plaintiff=s motion for the appointment of counsel is HEREBY 

DENIED without prejudice.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: February 27, 2015 /s/ Barbara A. McAuliffe _

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:14-cv-01217-DAD-BAM Document 18 Filed 02/27/15 Page 2 of 2