Santoro

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

KRISTIN HARDY, Case No. 1:21-cv-00327-ADA-EPG (PC)

Plaintiff, ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFF’S MOTION

FOR APPOINTMENT OF A NEUTRAL

v. EXPERT WITNESS

R. MORENO, et al., (ECF No. 141) Defendants. 15 16 Kristin Hardy (“Plaintiff”) is a state prisoner proceeding pro se and in forma pauperis in this civil rights action filed pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. On January 17, 2023, Plaintiff filed a motion requesting appointment of a neutral expert witness. (ECF No. 141). This motion is now before the Court. For the reasons that follow, the Court will deny Plaintiff’s motion. I. LEGAL STANDARDS The Court has the discretion to appoint an expert pursuant to Rule 706(a) of the Federal Rules of Evidence. See Walker v. American Home Shield Long Term Disability Plan, 180 F.3d 1065, 1071 (9th Cir. 1999). In relevant part, Rule 706(a) states that, “[o]n a party’s motion or on its own, the court may order…