Source: http://ia.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20140321_0000222.NIA.htm/qx
Timestamp: 2016-12-09 11:36:29
Document Index: 766250797

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1983', '§ 1915', '§ 1915', '§ 1915', '§ 1915', '§ 1983', '§ 1915']

| Smerud v. Smutzler
Smerud v. Smutzler
DALE ALAN SMERUD, Plaintiff,v.DAVE SMUTZLER, MIKE ASHBACHER, Defendants.
The matter before the court is the plaintiff's application to proceed in forma pauperis (docket no. 1) and application for appointment of counsel (docket no. 2). The plaintiff filed both applications on January 29, 2014. Along with his applications, the plaintiff submitted a complaint pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983.
Here, the plaintiff must pay an initial partial filing fee in the amount of 20 percent of the greater of his average monthly account balance or average monthly deposits for the six months preceding the filing of the complaint. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1). Based on the documents that the plaintiff included with his application to proceed in forma pauperis, the court finds that the initial partial filing fee is $4.56. Id. The plaintiff shall submit $4.56 by no later than April 22, 2014. Id. If the court does not receive payment by this deadline, the instant action shall be dismissed. See Fed.R.Civ.P. 41(b) (permitting dismissal where a plaintiff either fails to prosecute or fails to respond to an order of the court); Hutchins v. A.G. Edwards & Sons, 116 F.3d 1256, 1259-60 (8th Cir. 1997) (explaining court's power to dismiss an action); Edgington v. Missouri Dept. of Corrections, 52 F.3d 777, 779-80 (8th Cir. 1995) (same), abrogated on other grounds by Doe v. Cassel, 403 F.3d 986, 989 (8th Cir. 2005). If necessary, the plaintiff may request in a written motion an extension of time to pay the initial partial filing fee.
28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2). Therefore, after the plaintiff pays in full the initial partial filing fee, the remaining installments shall be collected by the institution having custody of the plaintiff. Id. The clerk's office shall send a copy of this order and the notice of collection of filing fee to the appropriate official at the place where the plaintiff is an inmate. The court shall reserve ruling on the plaintiff's claims for purposes of 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B) and/or 28 U.S.C. § 1915A.
Appointment of counsel is based on multiple factors, including the complexity of the case, and, although the court does appoint attorneys in actions that arise under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, it is not required to appoint an attorney. See Phillips v. Jasper County Jail, 437 F.3d 791, 794 (8th Cir. 2006); see also Taylor v. Dickel, 293 F.3d 427, 428 (8th Cir. 2002) (discussing 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1)); Davis v. Scott, 94 F.3d 444, 447 (8th Cir. 1996) (setting forth factors to be considered for appointment of counsel in civil case); Abdullah v. Gunter, 949 F.2d 1032, 1035 (8th Cir. 1991) (same); Wiggins v. Sargent, 753 F.2d 663, 668 (8th Cir. 1985) (stating an indigent litigant enjoys neither a statutory nor a constitutional right to have counsel appointed in a civil case). Given the record in this action, the court does not believe that assistance of counsel is warranted at this time. The plaintiff's claims are not complex, and it is at least questionable whether the plaintiff's claims are cognizable in light of the facts alleged, which indicate that the plaintiff was operating a methamphetamine lab when officers executed a search warrant, the plaintiff was tased and handcuffed as a result of fleeing from officers and a fireman held up a sheet while the plaintiff was hosed off in an effort to decontaminate him of chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine. Accordingly, the plaintiff's application for appointment of counsel shall be denied.
3) The plaintiff is directed to submit an initial partial filing fee of $4.56 by no later than April 22, 2014. The instant action will be dismissed unless either the initial partial filing fee of $4.56 is received by April 22, 2014 or the court grants an enlargement of time to pay the initial partial filing fee in response to a written motion.
7) The plaintiff's application for appointment of counsel (docket no. 2) is denied.