Diane Schroeder et al v. Stephen Hundley et al
Filing
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ORDER Denying without Prejudice 76 Defendant Jason Chappell's Motion to Request Civil Gideon Rights. Signed by Judge Janis L. Sammartino on 3/29/2021. (All non-registered users served via U.S. Mail Service) (tcf)
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
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DIANE SCHROEDER, an individual;
and EQUITY TRUST COMPANY
CUSTODIAN FBO DIANE
SCHROEDER IRA,
Case No.: 17-CV-919-JLS (JMA)
ORDER DENYING WITHOUT
PREJUDICE DEFENDANT
JASON CHAPPELL’S MOTION TO
REQUEST CIVIL GIDEON RIGHTS
Plaintiffs,
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v.
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STEPHEN HUNDLEY; JASON
CHAPPELL; and DISTRESSED
ACQUISITIONS,
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(ECF No. 76)
Defendants.
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Presently before the Court is Defendant Jason Chappell’s Motion to Request Civil
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Gideon Rights (“Mot.,” ECF No. 76), which the Court construes as a motion to appoint
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counsel pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1). The Motion indicates that Mr. Chappell is
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“unemployed” and “ha[s] no assets that [he] is able to liquidate” to pay an attorney to
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represent him, and accordingly Mr. Chappell requests the Court to appoint counsel “[i]n
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accord with [his] Civil Gideon Rights.” Id. at 1.
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There is, however, no constitutional right to counsel in a civil case. Lassiter v. Dep’t
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of Social Servs., 452 U.S. 18, 25 (1981); Palmer v. Valdez, 560 F.3d 965, 970 (9th Cir.
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17-CV-919-JLS (JMA)
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2009). Rather, the appointment of counsel in a civil case “is a privilege and not a right.”
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U. S. ex rel. Gardner v. Madden, 352 F.2d 792, 793 (9th Cir. 1965) (citing Wright v. Rhay,
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310 F.2d 687 (9th Cir. 1962)). And, while 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1) grants the district court
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limited discretion to “request” that an attorney represent an indigent civil litigant in
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“exceptional circumstances,” Agyeman v. Corr. Corp. of Am., 390 F.3d 1101, 1103 (9th
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Cir. 2004); Terrell v. Brewer, 935 F.2d 1015, 1017 (9th Cir. 1991), the Court is only
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empowered to exercise that discretion if the litigant is “unable to afford counsel,” 28 U.S.C.
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§ 1915(e)(1) (“The court may request an attorney to represent any person unable to afford
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counsel.”) (emphasis added). “When a claim of poverty is made under section 1915 ‘it is
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proper and indeed essential for the supporting affidavits to state the facts as to affiant’s
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poverty with some particularity, definiteness and certainty.’” United States v. McQuade,
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647 F.2d 938, 940 (9th Cir. 1981) (quoting Jefferson v. United States, 277 F.2d 723, 725
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(9th Cir. 1960)).
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Mr. Chappell does not provide an affidavit verifying with some particularity his
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claim of poverty. The Court directs Mr. Chappell to Form CJA 23, “Financial Affidavit in
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Support of Request for Attorney, Expert, or Other Services Without Payment of Fee,”
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available at https://www.casd.uscourts.gov/_assets/pdf/forms/Financial%20Affidavit.pdf
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(last visited Mar. 24, 2021), which will provide the Court with adequate factual information
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concerning Mr. Chappell’s income, assets, obligations, and debts to assess whether he is
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sufficiently indigent for the Court to assess any request for appointment of counsel on the
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merits. However, the Court notes that, even if Mr. Chappell provides the Court with the
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requested financial information, Mr. Chappell is only entitled to appointment of counsel if
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he can establish “exceptional circumstances,” which “requires an evaluation of both the
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likelihood of success on the merits and the ability of the plaintiff to articulate his claims
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pro se in light of the complexity of the legal issues involved.” Washington v. Rowland, 29
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F.3d 638 (9th Cir. 1994) (citations and internal quotation marks omitted). Further, the
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Ninth Circuit has held that, “[i]n civil actions for damages . . . appointment of counsel
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should be allowed only in exceptional cases.” Broadnax v. Bureau of Prisons, 841 F.2d
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17-CV-919-JLS (JMA)
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1128 (9th Cir. 1988) (citing United States v. Madden, 352 F.2d 792, 794 (9th Cir. 1965)).
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Thus, even if Mr. Chappell furnishes the Court with the requested financial information,
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Mr. Chappell’s request for counsel will not be granted as a matter of right.
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In light of the foregoing, the Court DENIES Mr. Chappell’s Motion (ECF No. 76),
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WITHOUT PREJUDICE to Mr. Chappell filing an adequately supported motion to
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appoint counsel.
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IT IS SO ORDERED.
Dated: March 29, 2021
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17-CV-919-JLS (JMA)
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