Gaines v. Greigore

Opinion

1 2 3 4 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 5 NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 6 7 JACOBI GAINES, Case No. 23-cv-06195-RMI

8 Plaintiff, ORDER v. 9 Re: Dkt. No. 23 10 KARL GREIGORE, Defendant. 11

12 13 Plaintiff, a detainee proceeding pro se, filed a civil rights complaint under 42 U.S.C. § 14 1983. The Court ordered service and Defendant filed a motion for summary judgment on 15 September 3, 2024. Presently pending is Plaintiff’s motion to appoint advisory counsel to help 16 prepare for trial, that was filed prior to Defendant’s motion for summary judgment. 17 There is no constitutional right to counsel in a civil case, Lassiter v. Dep’t of Social 18 Services, 452 U.S. 18, 25 (1981), and although district courts may “request” that counsel represent 19 a litigant who is proceeding in forma pauperis, as plaintiff is here, see 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1), that 20 does not give the courts the power to make “coercive appointments of counsel.” Mallard v. United 21 States Dist. Court, 490 U.S. 296, 310 (1989). 22 The Ninth Circuit has held that a district court may ask counsel to represent an indigent 23 litigant only in “exceptional circumstances,” the determination of which requires an evaluation of 24 both (1) the likelihood of success on the merits and (2) the ability of the plaintiff to articulate his 25 claims pro se in light of the complexity of the legal issues involved. Terrell v. Brewer, 935 F.2d 26 1015, 1017 (9th Cir. 1991). Plaintiff has presented his claims adequately, the issues are not 27 complex, and it is premature to prepare for trial. The motion (dkt. 23) is denied without prejudice. 1 service of this Order. 2 IT IS SO ORDERED. 3 Dated: October 21, 2024 4 5 ROBERT M. ILLMAN 6 United States Magistrate Judge 7 8 9 10 11 a 12

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