YOUNG v. BIG LOTS STORES INC

Filing 6

ORDER denying 2 Motion to Appoint Counsel Ordered by US DISTRICT JUDGE LESLIE J ABRAMS on 6/16/2015 (raw)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF GEORGIA
ALBANY DIVISION
ANGELA D. YOUNG,
Plaintiff,
v.
BIG LOTS STORES, INC.,
Defendants.

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CASE NO.: 1:15-CV-00045 (LJA)

ORDER
Before the Court is Plaintiff Angela D. Young’s Motion to Appoint Counsel
(Doc. 2 ). In General, a civil plaintiff has no constitutional right to counsel. Vickers v.
Georgia, 567 F. App’x 744, 749 (11th Cir. 2014); Wahl v. McIver, 773 F.2d 1169, 1174 (11th
Cir. 1985). Appointment of counsel is a privilege that is justified only by “exceptional
circumstances, such as the presence of facts and legal issues which are so novel or complex
as to require the assistance of a trained practitioner.” Branham v. Astrue, No. 7:08-CV-123-HL,
2009 WL 1025393, at *2 (M.D. Ga 2009) (internal citations omitted). Further, “[a] district
court has broad discretion in determining whether such circumstances exist.” Smith v.
Fla. Dep’t of Corrs., 713 F.3d 1059, 1063 (11th Cir. 2013).
Plaintiff has failed to establish the existence of exceptional circumstances justifying
the appointment of legal counsel. At the present time, it appears that the essential facts and
legal doctrines in this case are ascertainable by Plaintiff without the assistance of courtappointed legal counsel. The Court on its own motion will consider assisting Plaintiff in
securing legal counsel if and when it becomes apparent that legal assistance is required.
Accordingly, Plaintiff’s Motion to Appoint Counsel (Doc. 18) is DENIED at this time.

SO ORDERED, this 10th day of June, 2015.
/s/ Leslie J. Abrams
LESLIE J. ABRAMS, JUDGE
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

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