Stevenson v. Blake et al

Filing 4

ORDER granting 2 Motion for Leave to Proceed in forma pauperis; the Secretary of California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or his designee, shall collect from Plaintiff's prison trust account the $350 balance of the filing fee owed in this case by collecting monthly payments from the account in an amount equal to twenty percent (20%) of the preceding month's income and forward payments to the Clerk of the Court each time the amount in the account exceeds  6;10 in accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2); denying without prejudice 3 Motion to Appoint Counsel; US Marshal shall effect service of complaint; (Order electronically transmitted to Matthew Cate, Secretary CDCR); Signed by Judge Larry Alan Burns on 4/3/11. (All non-registered users served via U.S. Mail Service)(IFP package prepared)(kaj)

-WVG Stevenson v. Blake et al

Doc. 4

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Genghis Khan Ali Stevenson ("Plaintiff"), a state prisoner currently incarcerated at Kern Valley State Prison, and proceeding pro se, has submitted a civil action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Plaintiff has filed a Motion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis ("IFP") pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a) [ECF No. 2], along with a Motion for Appointment of Counsel [ECF No. 3]. /// 1 Defendants. GREGORY BLAKE; JOHN DOE; JANE DOE; vs. GENGHIS KHAN ALI STEVENSON, CDCR #P-46050, Plaintiff, Civil No. ORDER: (1) GRANTING MOTION TO PROCEED IN FORMA PAUPERIS, IMPOSING NO PARTIAL FILING FEE, GARNISHING $350 BALANCE FROM PRISONER'S TRUST ACCOUNT [ECF No. 2]; (2) DENYING MOTION FOR APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL [ECF No. 3] AND (3) DIRECTING U.S. MARSHAL TO EFFECT SERVICE OF COMPLAINT PURSUANT TO F ED.R.C IV.P. 4(c)(3) & 28 U.S.C. § 1915(d) 11cv0103 LAB (WVG)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

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I.

M OTION TO P ROCEED IFP [ECF N O. 2] All parties instituting any civil action, suit or proceeding in a district court of the United

States, except an application for writ of habeas corpus, must pay a filing fee of $350. See 28 U.S.C. § 1914(a). An action may proceed despite a plaintiff's failure to prepay the entire fee only if the plaintiff is granted leave to proceed IFP pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a). See Rodriguez v. Cook, 169 F.3d 1176, 1177 (9th Cir. 1999). However, prisoners granted leave to proceed IFP remain obligated to pay the entire fee in installments, regardless of whether their action is ultimately dismissed. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1) & (2). The Court finds that Plaintiff has submitted an affidavit which complies with 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(1), and that he has attached a certified copy of his trust account statement pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(2) and S.D. C AL. C IVLR 3.2. Plaintiff's trust account statement shows that he has no available funds from which to pay filing fees at this time. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(4). Therefore, the Court GRANTS Plaintiff's Motion to Proceed IFP [ECF No. 2] and assesses no initial partial filing fee per 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1). However, the entire $350 balance of the filing fee mandated shall be collected and forwarded to the Clerk of the Court pursuant to the installment payment provisions set forth in 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(1). II. M OTION FOR A PPOINTMENT OF C OUNSEL [ECF N O. 3] Plaintiff also requests the appointment of counsel to assist him in prosecuting this civil action. The Constitution provides no right to appointment of counsel in a civil case, however, unless an indigent litigant may lose his physical liberty if he loses the litigation. Lassiter v. Dept. of Social Services, 452 U.S. 18, 25 (1981). Nonetheless, under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1), district courts are granted discretion to appoint counsel for indigent persons. This discretion may be exercised only under "exceptional circumstances." Terrell v. Brewer, 935 F.2d 1015, 1017 (9th Cir. 1991). "A finding of exceptional circumstances requires an evaluation of both the

`likelihood of success on the merits and the ability of the plaintiff to articulate his claims pro se in light of the complexity of the legal issues involved.' Neither of these issues is dispositive and both must be viewed together before reaching a decision." Id. (quoting Wilborn v. Escalderon, 789 F.2d 1328, 1331 (9th Cir. 1986)). 2

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The Court denies Plaintiff's request without prejudice, as neither the interests of justice nor exceptional circumstances warrant appointment of counsel at this time. LaMere v. Risley, 827 F.2d 622, 626 (9th Cir. 1987); Terrell, 935 F.2d at 1017. III. I NITIAL S CREENING PER 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2)(b)(ii) and 1915A(b)(1) Notwithstanding IFP status or the payment of any partial filing fee, the Court must subject each civil action commenced pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a) to mandatory screening and order the sua sponte dismissal of any case it finds "frivolous, malicious, failing to state a claim upon which relief may be granted, or seeking monetary relief from a defendant immune from such relief." 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B); Lopez v. Smith, 203 F.3d 1122, 1126-27 (9th Cir. 2000) (en banc) (noting that 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e) "not only permits but requires" the court to sua sponte dismiss an in forma pauperis complaint that fails to state a claim). "[W]hen determining whether a complaint states a claim, a court must accept as true all allegations of material fact and must construe those facts in the light most favorable to the plaintiff." Resnick v. Hayes, 213 F.3d 443, 447 (9th Cir. 2000). In addition, the Court has a duty to liberally construe a pro se's pleadings, see Karim-Panahi v. Los Angeles Police Dep't, 839 F.2d 621, 623 (9th Cir. 1988), which is "particularly important in civil rights cases." Ferdik v. Bonzelet, 963 F.2d 1258, 1261 (9th Cir. 1992). Here, the Court finds Plaintiff's Complaint survives the sua sponte screening required by 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2) and 1915A(b). See Lopez, 203 F.3d at 1126-27. Accordingly, the Court finds Plaintiff is entitled to U.S. Marshal service on his behalf. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(d); F ED.R.C IV.P. 4(c)(3). IV. C ONCLUSION AND O RDER Good cause appearing, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that: 1. GRANTED. /// /// /// 3 Plaintiff's Motion to proceed IFP pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a) [ECF No. 2] is

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2.

The Secretary of California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or his

designee, shall collect from Plaintiff's prison trust account the $350 balance of the filing fee owed in this case by collecting monthly payments from the account in an amount equal to twenty percent (20%) of the preceding month's income and forward payments to the Clerk of the Court each time the amount in the account exceeds $10 in accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 1915(b)(2). ALL PAYMENTS SHALL BE CLEARLY IDENTIFIED BY THE NAME AND NUMBER ASSIGNED TO THIS ACTION. 3. The Clerk of the Court is directed to serve a copy of this Order on Matthew Cate,

Secretary, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, 1515 S Street, Suite 502, Sacramento, California 95814. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that: 4. prejudice. 5. The Clerk shall issue a summons as to Plaintiff's Complaint [ECF No. 1] upon the Plaintiff's Motion for Appointment of Counsel [ECF No. 3] is DENIED without

Defendants and shall and forward it to Plaintiff along with a blank U.S. Marshal Form 285 for each Defendant. In addition, the Clerk shall provide Plaintiff with a certified copy of this Order and a certified copy of his Complaint and the summons for purposes of serving the Defendants. Upon receipt of this "IFP Package," Plaintiff is directed to complete the Form 285 as completely and accurately as possible, and to return it to the United States Marshal according to the instructions provided by the Clerk in the letter accompanying his IFP package. Thereafter, the U.S. Marshal shall serve a copy of the Complaint and summons upon the Defendants as directed by Plaintiff on the USM Form 285. All costs of service shall be advanced by the United States. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(d); F ED.R.C IV.P. 4(c)(3). 6. Plaintiff shall serve upon the Defendants or, if appearance has been entered by

counsel, upon Defendants' counsel, a copy of every further pleading or other document submitted for consideration of the Court. Plaintiff shall include with the original paper to be filed with the Clerk of the Court a certificate stating the manner in which a true and correct copy of any document was served on the Defendants, or counsel for Defendants, and the date of 4

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service. Any paper received by the Court which has not been filed with the Clerk or which fails to include a Certificate of Service will be disregarded. IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: April 3, 2011

H ONORABLE L ARRY A LAN B URNS United States District Judge

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