Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_06-cv-01635/USCOURTS-caed-1_06-cv-01635-1/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
City Of Fresno
Defendant
Sevan Kayaian
Plaintiff

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SEVAN KAYAIAN, ) 

 )

Plaintiff, )

)

)

v. )

)

CITY OF FRESNO ) 

 )

Defendant. )

)

 )

1:06-cv-1635-OWW-SMS 

ORDER GRANTING PLAINTIFF’S

APPLICATION TO PROCEED IN FORMA

PAUPERIS (DOC. 4)

ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFF’S MOTION

TO APPOINT COUNSEL (DOC. 5)

Plaintiff is proceeding pro se with a civil action. The

matter has been referred to the Magistrate Judge pursuant to 28

U.S.C. § 636(b) and Local Rules 72-302 and 72-304. 

I. Application to Proceed in Forma Pauperis

Plaintiff has submitted a declaration and attachments that

make the showing required by § 1915(a). 

Accordingly, it IS ORDERED that the request to proceed in

forma pauperis will be granted. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a).

II. Motion for Appointment of Counsel

On December 7, 2006, Plaintiff filed a motion for the

appointment of counsel. The motion consisted merely of a request

that an attorney be appointed to assist Plaintiff in this case.

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The Court may request an attorney voluntarily to represent a

person proceeding in forma pauperis who is unable to afford

counsel. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(d). Appointment of counsel by the Court

in such circumstances is discretionary, not mandatory. United

States v. $292,888.04 in U.S. Currency, 54 F.3d 564, 569 (9th

Cir. 1995). Appointment may be made if a court finds that there

are exceptional circumstances after evaluating the likelihood of

success on the merits and the ability of the party to articulate

his claims pro se in light of the complexity of the legal issues

involved; the factors must be viewed together. Terrell v. Brewer,

935 F.2d 1015, 1017 (9 Cir. 1991) (citing Wilborn v. th

Escalderon, 789 F.2d 1328, 1331 (9 Cir. 1986)). th

Here, this Court cannot require an attorney to represent

plaintiff. Mallard v. United States District Court for the

Southern District of Iowa, 490 U.S. 296, 298 (1989). Without a

reasonable method of securing and compensating counsel, this

court will seek volunteer counsel only in the most serious and

exceptional cases.

Further, the Court notes that by separate order, the

undersigned Magistrate Judge has recommended that Plaintiff’s

action be dismissed for failure to state a claim upon which

relief may be granted. 

In light of the early stage of the proceedings and the

Court’s recommendation on the merits of the action set forth in a

separate order, the Court cannot make a determination that

Plaintiff is likely to succeed on the merits. Terrell, 935 F.2d

at 1017. There is no showing that Plaintiff is unable to proceed

in view of the nature of the case, which concerns the legality of

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prostitution.

The Court does not find the required exceptional

circumstances.

Accordingly, Plaintiff’s motion for the appointment of

counsel, filed December 7, 2006, IS DENIED.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: December 22, 2006 /s/ Sandra M. Snyder 

icido3 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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