(PC) Hampton v. California Correctional Healthcare Services

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 9 FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 11 THOMAS LEROY HAMPTON, Case No. 1:22-cv-00518-HBK (PC) 12 Plaintiff, ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFF’S MOTION

FOR APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL

13 v. (Doc. No. 31) 14 KIWANA HILL, et al.,

15 Defendants. 16 17 Pending before the Court is pro se Plaintiff’s motion to appoint counsel, filed on April 7, 18 2025. (Doc. No. 31, “Motion”). Plaintiff seeks appointment counsel because: (1) he cannot 19 afford legal counsel, (2) he has been unable to obtain legal representation, (3) he believes his case 20 is complex, (4) he lacks legal training and resources, and (5) his incarceration limits his access to 21 information, evidence, and individuals necessary to litigate effectively. (See Doc. No. 31). For 22 the reasons set forth below, the Court denies Plaintiff’s Motion. 23 The United States Constitution does not require appointment of counsel in civil cases. See 24 Lewis v. Casey, 518 U.S. 343, 354 (1996) (explaining Bounds v. Smith, 430 U.S. 817 (1996), did 25 not create a right to…