Lopez

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 9 VIJAY BHUSHAN, No. 2:22-cv-1060 WBS KJN P Plaintiff, v. ORDER L. LOPEZ, Defendant. 15 Plaintiff is a state prisoner proceeding pro se in an action brought under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. This action is set for a settlement conference before Magistrate Judge Claire on May 25, 2023. Plaintiff filed a motion requesting that the court appoint 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). When determining whether “exceptional circumstances” exist, the court must consider plaintiff’s likelihood of success on the merits as well as the ability of the…