Johnson v. Rochester Police Department et al
Filing
42
DECISION & ORDER denying without prejudice 29 Motion to Appoint Counsel. It is plaintiff's responsibility to retain an attorney or press forward with this lawsuit pro se. Signed by Hon. Marian W. Payson on 4/14/2015. (KAH)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
_______________________________________
HENRY JOHNSON,
DECISION & ORDER
Plaintiff,
14-CV-6181G
v.
CITY OF ROCHESTER et al.,
Defendants.
_______________________________________
On April 17, 2014, pro se plaintiff Henry Johnson (“plaintiff”) filed a complaint
pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, alleging that the defendants violated his constitutional rights in
connection with his arrest and prosecution in 2013. (Docket # 1). Currently before this Court is
plaintiff’s request for appointment of counsel and his request to proceed in forma pauperis.
(Docket # 29). With respect to plaintiff’s request to proceed in forma pauperis, that request is
denied as moot because plaintiff has already been granted permission to proceed as a poor person
by Decision and Order dated June 16, 2014. (Docket # 3).
It is well-settled that there is no constitutional right to appointed counsel in civil
cases. Although the Court may appoint counsel to assist indigent litigants pursuant to 28 U.S.C.
§ 1915(e), see, e.g., Sears, Roebuck and Co. v. Charles W. Sears Real Estate, Inc., 865 F.2d 22,
23 (2d Cir. 1988), such assignment of counsel is clearly within the judge’s discretion. In re
Martin-Trigona, 737 F.2d 1254 (2d Cir. 1984). The factors to be considered in deciding whether
or not to assign counsel include the following:
1.
Whether the indigent’s claims seem likely to be of
substance;
2.
Whether the indigent is able to investigate the crucial facts
concerning his claim;
3.
Whether conflicting evidence implicating the need for
cross-examination will be the major proof presented to the
fact finder;
4.
Whether the legal issues involved are complex; and
5.
Whether there are any special reasons why appointment of
counsel would be more likely to lead to a just
determination.
Hendricks v. Coughlin, 114 F.3d 390, 392 (2d Cir. 1997); see also Hodge v. Police Officers, 802
F.2d 58 (2d Cir. 1986).
The Court must consider the issue of appointment carefully, of course, because
“every assignment of a volunteer lawyer to an undeserving client deprives society of a volunteer
lawyer available for a deserving cause.” Cooper v. A. Sargenti Co., Inc., 877 F.2d 170, 172 (2d
Cir. 1989). Therefore, the Court must first look to the “likelihood of merit” of the underlying
dispute, Hendricks v. Coughlin, 114 F.3d at 392; Cooper v. A. Sargenti Co., Inc., 877 F.2d at
174, and “even though a claim may not be characterized as frivolous, counsel should not be
appointed in a case where the merits of the . . . claim are thin and his chances of prevailing are
therefore poor.” Carmona v. United States Bureau of Prisons, 243 F.3d 629, 632 (2d Cir. 2001)
(denying counsel on appeal where petitioner’s appeal was not frivolous but nevertheless
appeared to have little merit).
The Court has reviewed the facts presented herein in light of the factors required
by law and finds, pursuant to the standards promulgated by Hendricks, 114 F.3d at 392, and
Hodge v. Police Officers, 802 F.2d at 58, that the appointment of counsel is not necessary at this
time. As stated above, a plaintiff seeking the appointment of counsel must demonstrate a
likelihood of success on the merits. See id. Plaintiff has not done so at this stage. Moreover, the
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legal issues in this case do not appear to be complex, nor does it appear that conflicting evidence
will implicate the need for extensive cross-examination at trial. Finally, plaintiff’s case does not
present any special reasons justifying the assignment of counsel. On this record, plaintiff’s
request for the appointment of counsel (Docket # 29) is DENIED without prejudice at this
time. It is the plaintiff’s responsibility to retain an attorney or press forward with this lawsuit pro
se. 28 U.S.C. § 1654.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
s/Marian W. Payson
MARIAN W. PAYSON
United States Magistrate Judge
Dated: Rochester, New York
April 14, 2015
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