Vahey v. Safe Environment Business Solutions

Filing 27

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER: IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Plaintiff's Motion for the Appointment of Counsel (Doc. 3 ) is DENIED without prejudice. Signed by Magistrate Judge Noelle C. Collins on June 30, 2017. (BRP)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI
EASTERN DIVISION

DANIEL E. VAHEY,
Plaintiff,
vs.
SAFE ENVIRONMENT
BUSINESS SOLUTIONS,
Defendant.

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Case No. 4:16-cv-02149-NCC

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
This matter is before the Court on Plaintiff’s Motion for the Appointment of Counsel
(Doc. 3). Plaintiff asserts that (1) he believes he is entitled to redress; (2) he is unable to pay a
reasonable attorney fee; and (3) he has made diligent efforts to obtain legal counsel (Id.). For the
following reasons, Plaintiff’s motion will be denied without prejudice.
The appointment of counsel for an indigent pro se plaintiff lies within the discretion of
the Court, since there is no constitutional or statutory right to appointed counsel in civil cases.
Phillips v. Jasper County Jail, 437 F.3d 791, 794 (8th Cir. 2006) (citation omitted); see 28
U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1) (“The court may request an attorney to represent any person unable to afford
counsel.”). Once plaintiff alleges a prima facie claim, the Court must determine plaintiff’s need
for counsel to litigate his claim effectively. In re Lane, 801 F.2d 1040, 1043 (8th Cir. 1986).
The standard for appointment of counsel in a civil case is whether both plaintiff and the Court
would benefit from the assistance of counsel. Edwards v. Dwyer, 2008 WL 222511 at *1 (E.D.
Mo. Jan. 25, 2008) (citations omitted). This determination involves the consideration of several
relevant criteria which include “the factual complexity of the issues, the ability of the indigent
person to investigate the facts, the existence of conflicting testimony, the ability of the indigent

person to present the claims, and the complexity of the legal arguments.” Id. See also Rayes v.
Johnson, 969 F.2d 700, 703 (8th Cir. 1992); Johnson v. Williams, 788 F.2d 1319 (8th Cir. 1986).
After reviewing Plaintiff’s Complaint (Doc. 1), the Court does not believe that either the
factual or legal issues are complex. Furthermore, it appears to the Court that Plaintiff is clearly
capable of articulating and presenting his claims. In fact, Plaintiff’s Complaint and his other
various motions (See, e.g., Docs. 8, 13) are coherent and direct. For these reasons, the Court
finds that appointment of counsel is not mandated at this time, and Plaintiff’s motion should be
denied without prejudice.
Accordingly,
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Plaintiff’s Motion for the Appointment of Counsel
(Doc. 3) is DENIED without prejudice.
Dated this 30th day of June, 2017.

/s/ Noelle C. Collins
NOELLE C. COLLINS
UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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