Gunn v. Tilton et al

Filing 123

ORDER Denying Plaintiff's 121 Motion to Appoint Counsel signed by Magistrate Judge Stanley A. Boone on 10/08/2013. (Flores, E)

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 9 EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 11 KEVIN GUNN, 12 13 14 15 Plaintiff, v. JAMES TILTON, et al., Defendants. 16 17 18 19 ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) Case No.: 1:08-cv-01038-LJO-SAB (PC) ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL [ECF No. 121] Plaintiff Kevin Gunn is appearing pro se and in forma pauperis in this civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. On September 23, 2013, Plaintiff filed a motion seeking the appointment of counsel. Plaintiff 20 does not have a constitutional right to appointed counsel in this action, Rand v. Rowland, 113 F.3d 21 1520, 1525 (9th Cir. 1997), and the court cannot require any attorney to represent plaintiff pursuant to 22 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1). Mallard v. United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, 490 23 U.S. 296, 298 (1989). However, in certain exceptional circumstances the court may request the 24 voluntary assistance of counsel pursuant to section 1915(e)(1). Rand, 113 F.3d at 1525. 25 Without a reasonable method of securing and compensating counsel, the court will seek 26 volunteer counsel only in the most serious and exceptional cases. In determining whether 27 “exceptional circumstances exist, the district court must evaluate both the likelihood of success on the 28 1 1 merits [and] the ability of the [plaintiff] to articulate his claims pro se in light of the complexity of the 2 legal issues involved.” Id. (internal quotation marks and citations omitted). 3 In the present case, the court does not find the required exceptional circumstances. Even if it 4 assumed that plaintiff is not well versed in the law and that he has made serious allegations which, if 5 proved, would entitle him to relief, his case is not exceptional. Plaintiff alleges an Eighth Amendment 6 claim against two defendants for using excessive force. The legal issues present in this action are not 7 complex, and Plaintiff has articulated his claims numerous times in pleadings filed in the action. The 8 Court does not find exceptional circumstances to warrant appointment of counsel in this case. 9 10 For the foregoing reasons, Plaintiff’s motion for the appointment of counsel is HEREBY DENIED, without prejudice. 11 12 IT IS SO ORDERED. 13 14 Dated: October 8, 2013 _ _ UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 2

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