Opinion
No. 2:11-cv-2659 KJM KJN P
07-24-2012
TIMOTHY O'KEEFE, Plaintiff, v. MATTHEW CATE, et al., Defendants.
ORDER
Plaintiff has requested the appointment of counsel. The United States Supreme Court has ruled that district courts lack authority to require counsel to represent indigent prisoners in § 1983 cases. Mallard v. United States Dist. Court, 490 U.S. 296, 298 (1989). In certain exceptional circumstances, the court may request the voluntary assistance of counsel pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1). Terrell v. Brewer, 935 F.2d 1015, 1017 (9th Cir. 1991); Wood v. Housewright, 900 F.2d 1332, 1335-36 (9th Cir. 1990). In the present case, the court does not find the required exceptional circumstances. Therefore, plaintiff's request for the appointment of counsel is denied.
Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that plaintiff's July 19, 2012 motion for the appointment of counsel (Docket No. 51) is denied.
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KENDALL J. NEWMAN
UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE
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