Opinion
No. 04-16-00713-CV
12-12-2016
From the 25th Judicial District Court, Guadalupe County, Texas
Trial Court No. 14-2653-CV
Honorable William Old, Judge Presiding
ORDER
Appellant is an inmate acting pro se in a civil suit. In his notice of appeal, Appellant moved this court to appoint appellate counsel.
A court may appoint counsel for a pro se civil litigant "under exceptional circumstances." See Gibson v. Tolbert, 102 S.W.3d 710, 712 (Tex. 2003) (citing Travelers Indem. Co. of Conn. v. Mayfield, 923 S.W.2d 590, 594 (Tex. 1996)); see also TEX. GOV'T CODE ANN. § 24.016 (West 2004). Exceptional circumstances are "rare and unusual," and Appellant's motion presents no such circumstances. See Gibson, 102 S.W.3d at 713 (denying court-appointed counsel to an indigent inmate for his civil suit against prison personnel).
Appellant's motion for court-appointed appellate counsel is DENIED.
/s/_________
Patricia O. Alvarez, Justice
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said court on this 12th day of December, 2016.
/s/_________
Keith E. Hottle
Clerk of Court