Nickman v. Zarraga et al

Filing 18

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER - Plaintiff's Motion to Appoint Counsel (Filing No. 17 ) is denied without prejudice to reassertion at a later time. Ordered by Senior Judge Richard G. Kopf. (Copy mailed to pro se party) (KLF)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEBRASKA
JOSHUA M. NICKMAN,
Plaintiff,
V.
JUAN M. ZARRAGA, official
capacity, SHELBY L. RAWLINGS,
official capacity, ANDREW L.
MCLEAN, official capacity, COLTON
J. GUERRERO, official capacity,
MICHAEL TUBBS, official capacity,
JESUS J. RAMIREZ, official capacity,
JAIME LYN CRAFT, official
capacity, JESSICA M. STROUP,
official capacity, SCOTT B.
ANDREALA, official capacity, ERIC
JON LITTLE, official capacity,
JONATHAN R. TRIPP, official
capacity, AARON CRAY, official
capacity, TODD BAHENSKY, official
capacity, LACY, official capacity,
HALL COUNTY CORRECTIONS,
official capacity, and J. JONES,
official capacity,

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8:16CV262

MEMORANDUM
AND ORDER

Defendants.

Plaintiff has filed a motion (Filing No. 17) seeking the appointment of counsel.
The court cannot routinely appoint counsel in civil cases. In Davis v. Scott, 94 F.3d
444, 447 (8th Cir. 1996), the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals explained that
“[i]ndigent civil litigants do not have a constitutional or statutory right to appointed
counsel.” Trial courts have “broad discretion to decide whether both the plaintiff and
the court will benefit from the appointment of counsel, taking into account the factual

and legal complexity of the case, the presence or absence of conflicting testimony,
and the plaintiff’s ability to investigate the facts and present his claim.” Id. Having
considered these factors, the request for the appointment of counsel will be denied
without prejudice to reassertion.
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that: Plaintiff’s Motion to Appoint Counsel
(Filing No. 17) is denied without prejudice to reassertion at a later time.
DATED this 25th day of July, 2016.
BY THE COURT:
S/ Richard G. Kopf
Senior United States District Judge

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