Dozier v. Commissioner of Social Security

Filing 17

ORDER VACATING Hearing on 15 Plaintiff's Counsel's Motion to Withdraw and Deeming Motion Submitted on the Papers; ORDER GRANTING 15 Plaintiff's Counsel's Motion to Withdraw as Attorney of Record; ORDER GRANTING an Extension of Time for the Filing of Plaintiff's Brief to No Later Than November 10, 2009; ORDER DIRECTING Clerk to Update the Docket and to Serve This Order on Plaintiff Himself at the Address Specified in This Order, signed by Magistrate Judge Sandra M. Snyder on 9/21/2009. (Jessen, A)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
7 EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 8 9 EARL DOZIER, 10 Plaintiff, 11 v. 12 MICHAEL J. ASTRUE, COMMISSIONER OF SOCIAL 13 SECURITY, 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Plaintiff is proceeding in forma pauperis and with counsel ORDER DIRECTING THE CLERK TO UPDATE THE DOCKET AND TO SERVE THIS ORDER ON PLAINTIFF HIMSELF AT THE ADDRESS SPECIFIED IN THIS ORDER Defendant. ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) 1:08-cv-01773-SMS ORDER VACATING HEARING ON PLAINTIFF'S COUNSEL'S MOTION TO WITHDRAW AND DEEMING MOTION SUBMITTED ON THE PAPERS (DOC. 15) Vacated Hearing Date: September 25, 2009 Time: 9:30 a.m. ORDER GRANTING PLAINTIFF'S COUNSEL'S MOTION TO WITHDRAW AS ATTORNEY OF RECORD (DOC. 15) ORDER GRANTING AN EXTENSION OF TIME FOR THE FILING OF PLAINTIFF'S BRIEF TO NO LATER THAN November 10, 2009

24 with an action seeking judicial review of a final decision of the 25 Commissioner of Social Security (Commissioner) denying 26 Plaintiff's application for benefits. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 27 636(c), both parties have consented to the Magistrate's 28 jurisdiction to conduct all proceedings, including ordering the 1

1 entry of judgment, and the case was assigned to the undersigned 2 Magistrate Judge by the order of District Judge Lawrence J. 3 O'Neill on December 8, 2008. 4 Pending before the Court is the motion of Laura Krank of the

5 Law Offices of Rohlfing & Kalagian, counsel for Plaintiff Earl 6 Dozier, to withdraw as counsel of record, which was filed and 7 served on August 19, 2009, along with declaration of Laura Krank 8 in support of the motion. On the same date a copy of the motion 9 was mailed to Plaintiff Earl Dozier at his last known address of 10 2559 South Lotus, Fresno, California 93706. No opposition was 11 filed by Defendant, and Plaintiff has not responded. The Court 12 has reviewed all the documents submitted in connection with the 13 motion. 14 15 I. Vacating the Hearing on Counsel's Motion to Withdraw Pursuant to Rule 78-230(h) of the Local Rules of Practice

16 for the United States District Court, Eastern District of 17 California, the Court finds that the motion of Plaintiff's 18 counsel Laura Krank to withdraw as counsel for Plaintiff is a 19 matter that may appropriately be submitted upon the record and 20 briefs. 21 Accordingly, the hearing on the motion, presently set for

22 September 25, 2009, at 9:30 a.m., IS VACATED, and the motion IS 23 DEEMED SUBMITTED to the Court for decision. 24 25 II. The Motion to Withdraw as Attorney of Record Moving counsel Laura Krank states that after undertaking

26 representation of Plaintiff in October 2008, and reviewing the 27 administrative record, counsel informed Plaintiff in early May 28 2008 in writing of her opinion that she could not pursue the case 2

1 on Plaintiff's behalf, and she informed Plaintiff that if 2 Plaintiff disagreed with counsel's opinion, Plaintiff could sign 3 a substitution of attorneys and seek other counsel. As of the 4 time the motion was filed, Plaintiff had signed the substitution 5 form but had not retained other counsel. (Decl. of Krank, ¶¶ 26 4.) 7 On August 19, 2009, counsel mailed a copy of the motion to

8 Plaintiff at Plaintiff's last-known address, which is 2559 South 9 Lotus, Fresno, California 93706. The Court finds that Plaintiff's 10 address has been established within the meaning of Local Rule 8311 182(d). The Court further finds that withdrawing counsel gave 12 Plaintiff adequate notice of the instant motion. 13 The grounds of the motion are that after diligent research

14 of the issues, counsel has formed the opinion that she cannot 15 pursue the matter on Plaintiff's behalf and that to do so could 16 subject Plaintiff and counsel to sanctions under Rule 11. (Decl. 17 of Krank , Mot. p. 4.) 18 Local Rule 83-182 provides that an attorney may request

19 withdrawal if grounds exist pursuant to the Rules of Professional 20 Conduct of the State Bar of California. Cal. Rules of Prof. 21 Conduct, Rule 3-700(C)(1)(a) provides for withdrawal with the 22 permission of a tribunal if the client insists upon presenting a 23 claim or defense that is not warranted under existing law and 24 cannot be supported by good faith argument for an extension, 25 modification, or reversal of existing law. Fed. R. Civ. P. 26 11(b)(1) provides that by presenting to the Court a paper, an 27 attorney is certifying that to the best of the person's 28 knowledge, information, and belief, formed after an inquiry 3

1 reasonable under the circumstances, that the claims, defenses, 2 and other legal contentions therein are warranted by existing law 3 or by a nonfrivolous argument for the extension, modification, or 4 reversal of existing law or the establishment of new law. Cal. 5 Rules Prof. Conduct, Rule 3-700(C)(6) permits withdrawal if the 6 member believes in good faith in a proceeding pending before a 7 tribunal that the tribunal will find the existence of good cause 8 for withdrawal. 9 The Court finds and concludes that counsel has established

10 grounds for withdrawal. The motion to withdraw will be granted. 11 12 III. Extension of Time to File Plaintiff's Opening Brief Local Rule 83-182(d) provides, "Leave to withdraw may be

13 granted subject to such appropriate conditions as the Court deems 14 fit." Counsel has requested that the Court grant Plaintiff time 15 to search for counsel and extend the time for filing Plaintiff's 16 opening brief, which is not yet due. 17 In order to permit Plaintiff to obtain counsel and to file

18 an opening brief, the Court will extend the deadline for its 19 filing until November 10, 2009. 20 The Court notes that upon counsel's withdrawal, Plaintiff

21 will be proceeding pro se and will be responsible for the timely 22 prosecution of the action even if Plaintiff fails to obtain new 23 counsel. A failure to comply with an order of the Court, 24 including the deadline for the filing of Plaintiff's opening 25 brief, will result in sanctions, including dismissal of this 26 action. Because Plaintiff is now proceeding pro se, the Court 27 will by separate order inform Plaintiff of requirements 28 concerning Social Security cases in this Court. 4

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IV. Disposition Accordingly, it IS ORDERED that 1) The hearing on counsel's motion to withdraw, presently

4 set for September 25, 2009, at 9:30 a.m., IS VACATED; and 5 2) The motion of Plaintiff's counsel, Laura Krank of the Law

6 Offices of Rohlfing & Kalagian, to withdraw as attorney of record 7 IS GRANTED; and 8 3) Plaintiff's opening brief SHALL BE FILED no later than

9 November 10, 2009; and 10 4) The Clerk SHALL UPDATE THE DOCKET to reflect Plaintiff's

11 pro se status and Plaintiff's address of 2559 South Lotus, 12 Fresno, California 93706, and SHALL SERVE this order upon 13 Plaintiff at that address. 14 15 IT IS SO ORDERED. 16 Dated: icido3 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 5 September 21, 2009 /s/ Sandra M. Snyder UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE