Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_14-cv-01528/USCOURTS-caed-1_14-cv-01528-3/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations
Defendant
Donnell Webb
Plaintiff

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DONNELL WEBB,

Plaintiff,

v.

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF 

CORRECTIONS AND 

REHABILITATIONS,

Defendant.

1:14-cv-01528-MJS (PC) 

ORDER DENYING MOTION FOR

APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL 

(Document# 15)

On November 17, 2014, 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 of the merits [and] the ability of the [plaintiff] to articulate 

Case 1:14-cv-01528-MJS Document 17 Filed 11/19/14 Page 1 of 2
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his claims pro se in light of the 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. 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: November 19, 2014 /s/Michael J. Seng 

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:14-cv-01528-MJS Document 17 Filed 11/19/14 Page 2 of 2