(HC) Scroggins v. Smith

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 9 EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 11 RANDY LEE SCROGGINS, Case No. 1:24-cv-00519-JLT-CDB (HC)

12 Petitioner, ORDER DENYING MOTION FOR

APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL

13 v. (Doc. 2) 14 STEVE SMITH, 15 Respondent. 16 17 Petitioner Geronimo Mejia (“Petitioner”), a state prisoner, proceeds pro se with a petition 18 for writ of habeas corpus filed under 28 U.S.C. § 2254. (Doc. 1). Pending before the Court is 19 Petitioner’s motion that the Court appoint counsel to represent him. (Doc. 2). In support of his 20 motion, Petitioner advances the following grounds: (1) he lacks financial resources to retain an 21 attorney; (2) he has no legal training; and (3) the legal issue brought in his petition is complex and 22 involves an unusual fact pattern. (Doc. 2 at 2-3). 23 There is no constitutional right to counsel in federal habeas proceedings. Coleman v. 24 Thompson, 501 U.S. 722, 752 (1991); Bonin v. Vasquez, 999 F.2d 425, 429 (9th Cir. 1993). 25 However, the Criminal Justice Act 18 U.S.C. § 3006A, authorizes the Court to appoint…