Schultz

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 PAUL TUILAEPA, No. 2:25-cv-3156 CSK P Plaintiff, v. ORDER JASON SCHULTZ, et al., Defendants. 16 I. INTRODUCTION Plaintiff is a state prisoner proceeding pro se in an action brought under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. On December 15, 2025, plaintiff filed a pleading requesting appointment of counsel, an extension of time and waiver of the filing fee. (ECF No. 14.) For the following reasons, plaintiff’s requests made in the December 15, 2025 pleading are denied. II. REQUST FOR APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL District courts lack authority to require counsel to represent indigent prisoners in section 1983 cases. Mallard v. United States Dist. Court, 490 U.S. 296, 298 (1989). In exceptional circumstances, the court may request an attorney to voluntarily represent such a plaintiff. See 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). …