Source: http://pa.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20180501_0001301.MPA.htm/qx
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 12:24:30+00:00

Document:
ROBERT D. MARIANI, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE.
Plaintiff Joel Perez ("Plaintiff'), an inmate currently confined at the State Correctional Institution at Coal Township, Pennsylvania ("SCI-Coal Township"), initiated this action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Named as Defendants are James J. Larson, C. David Pedri, Stefanie Salavantis, and eleven John Does. (Doc. 1). Plaintiff alleges that his constitutional rights were violated while housed at the Luzerne County Prison. (Id.).
Presently pending before the Court are Plaintiffs motions to appoint counsel. (Docs. 4, 18). For the reasons set forth below, the motions will be denied without prejudice.
Although prisoners have no constitutional or statutory right to appointment of counsel in a civil case, the Court has discretion "to request an attorney to represent any person unable to afford counsel." 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1); Parham v. Johnson, 126 F.3d 454, 456-57 (3d Cir. 1997); Montgomery v. Pinchak, 294 F.3d 492, 499 (3d Cir. 2002); Tabron v. Grace, 6 F.3d 147, 153 (3d Cir. 1993). The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit has stated that the appointment of counsel for an indigent litigant should be made when circumstances indicate "the likelihood of substantial prejudice to him resulting, for example, from his probable inability without such assistance to present the facts and legal issues to the court in a complex but arguably meritorious case." Smith-Bey v. Petsock, 741 F.2d 22, 26 (3d Cir. 1984).
(6) whether the case will require testimony from expert witnesses.
Id. (citing Tabron, 6 F.3d at 155-57). The Third Circuit Court of Appeals added two other factors to be taken into consideration: (1) the court's willingness to aid the indigent party in presenting his or her own case; and (2) the available supply of lawyers willing to accept section 1915(e) requests within the relevant geographic area. See Gordon v. Gonzalez, 232 Fed.Appx. 153 (3d Cir. 2007).
Assuming arguendo that the complaint has merit, Plaintiff fails to set forth any circumstances warranting the appointment of counsel. See Tabron, 6 F.3d at 155-56. Plaintiff bases the motions on the alleged complexity of the case, his inability to afford counsel, limited education, limited knowledge of the law, limited access to the law library, and his limited English proficiency. (Docs. 4, 5, 18, 19). Plaintiff requests that the Court appoint a Spanish-speaking attorney. (Id.). Upon review of the complaint, the legal issues presented in this case are not complex and likely will not require expert testimony. Furthermore, despite his incarceration, investigation of the facts is not beyond Plaintiffs capabilities and he is familiar with the facts of his case. In his pleadings, Plaintiff demonstrates the ability to adequately present his case. Moreover, the Court notes that it does not have a large group of attorneys who would represent this action in a pro bono capacity.

References: § 1983
 § 1915
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