Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_07-cv-04464/USCOURTS-cand-4_07-cv-04464-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
D. Williams
Defendant
Isaiah Noel Williams
Plaintiff

Document Text:

United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ISAIAH N. WILLIAMS,

Plaintiff,

 v.

D. WILLIAMS,

Defendant. /

No. C 07-04464 CW (PR)

ORDER DENYING MOTION FOR

APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL

Plaintiff requests the appointment of counsel to represent him

in this action. 

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 Social Services,

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§ 1983 action), withdrawn in part on other grounds on reh'g en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

Case 4:07-cv-04464-CW Document 12 Filed 11/05/07 Page 1 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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C:\Documents and Settings\Workstation\Local Settings\Temp\notesF8C1A4\Williams4464.DenyAtty.frm 2

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 § 1915. See id.

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. Corrections

Corp. of America, 390 F.3d 1101, 1103 (9th Cir. 2004). 

Accordingly, the request for appointment of counsel at this time is

DENIED. This does not mean, however, that the Court will not

consider appointment of counsel at a later juncture in the

proceedings, that is, after Defendants have filed their dispositive

motion and the Court has a better understanding of the procedural

and substantive matters at issue. Therefore, Plaintiff may file a

renewed motion for the appointment of counsel after Defendants'

dispositive motion has been filed. If the Court decides that

appointment of counsel is warranted at that time, then it can seek

volunteer counsel to agree to represent Plaintiff pro bono.

This Order terminates Docket no. 2.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: 11/5/07 

CLAUDIA WILKEN

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 4:07-cv-04464-CW Document 12 Filed 11/05/07 Page 2 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ISAIAH N WILLIAMS,

Plaintiff,

 v.

D WILLIAMS et al,

Defendant. /

Case Number: CV07-04464 CW 

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 November 5, 2007, 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.

Isaiah Noel Williams K-33769

Pelican Bay State Prison

P.O. Box 7000

5905 Lake Earl Drive

Crescent City, CA 95531

Dated: November 5, 2007

Richard W. Wieking, Clerk

By: Lisa R. Clark, Deputy Clerk

Case 4:07-cv-04464-CW Document 12 Filed 11/05/07 Page 3 of 3