David

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 LANCE DAVID, et al., No. 2:25-cv-00534-DC-SCR Plaintiffs, v. ORDER DENYING MOTION FOR

APPOINTMENT AS GUARDIAN AD LITEM

COUNTY OF STANISLAUS, et al., WITHOUT PREJUDICE Defendants. (Doc. No. 5) 16 The matter is before the court on Plaintiff Lance David’s motion for appointment as guardian ad litem for minor Plaintiffs B.N., M.N., and L.N. (Doc. No. 5.) No opposition to the pending motion has been filed. “District courts have a special duty, derived from Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 17(c), to safeguard the interests of litigants who are minors.” Robidoux v. Rosengren, 638 F.3d 1177, 1181 (9th Cir. 2011). To that end, Rule 17 provides that “[t]he court must appoint a guardian ad litem—or issue another appropriate order—to protect a minor or incompetent person who is unrepresented in an action.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 17(c)(2). The appointment of the guardian ad litem is more than a mere formality. United States v.…