Armstrong v. Dart et al

Filing 20

MEMORANDUM Order: The Clerk of Court is directed to forthwith mail to plaintiff the motion for attorney representation form. Signed by the Honorable Milton I. Shadur on 10/11/2016:Mailed notice(jms, )

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS
EASTERN DIVISION
LAMONT ARMSTRONG,
Plaintiff,
v.
THOMAS J. DART, et al.,
Defendants.

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Case No. 16 C 3327

MEMORANDUM ORDER
During this morning's hearing on "Defendant Sheriff Thomas Dart's Motion for Entry of
Order in Lieu of Answer" ("Dart's Motion"), defense counsel had (as this Court requested) made
arrangements for pro se prisoner plaintiff Lamont Armstrong ("Armstrong") to participate
telephonically. In addition to this Court's granting of Dart's Motion, which addressed the posture
of Sheriff Dart in the case for the present and hereafter, this Court availed itself of the opportunity
to explain to Armstrong orally just what he had to do to obtain the assistance of designated
counsel -- something really essential to his ability to proceed with his lawsuit.
In the hope that the third time may prove the charm, this Court is again sending to
Armstrong three counterparts of the Clerk's-Office-supplied Motion for Attorney Representation
("Attorney Motion"). Two counterparts of the Attorney Motion must be filled out and returned
by Armstrong if he hopes to proceed with his action, and in particular he must fill in the blank
spaces in the most important paragraph of the Attorney Motion -- its paragraph 2.
As soon as those forms are received by the Clerk's Office, this Court will proceed to obtain
representation for Armstrong by a member of this District Court's trial bar. In addition it will
issue a scheduling order that should allow counsel time (1) to confer with Armstrong, (2) to take

steps to identify the defendants referred to in Armstrong's pro se Complaint as "John Doe(s)" and
"Jane Doe(s)" and (3) to take whatever other preparatory steps may be pursued before the status
hearing date specified in that scheduling order.

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Milton I. Shadur
Senior United States District Judge
Date: October 11, 2016

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