Lopez

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 ADAM REY LOPEZ, Case No.: 3:20-cv-2236-CAB (NLS)

Plaintiff,

ORDER DENYING MOTION FOR

v. APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL

SAMUEL KO; MAJA BOYD, [ECF No. 20] Defendants. 16 Before the Court is Plaintiff’s motion for appointment of counsel. ECF No. 20. Plaintiff is a prisoner, proceeding pro se and in forma pauperis, and has filed a civil complaint alleging civil rights violations. ECF No. 1. Plaintiff was previously denied counsel. ECF No. 5. Plaintiff now seeks appointment of counsel specifically for discovery. “[T]here is no absolute right to counsel in civil proceedings.” Hedges v. Resolution Trust Corp., 32 F.3d 1360, 1363 (9th Cir. 1994) (citation omitted). In pro se and in forma pauperis proceedings, district courts do not have the authority “to make coercive appointments of counsel.” Mallard v. United States District Court, 490 U.S. 296, 310 (1989). But they do have discretion to…