(PC) Puckett v. Kelso ( 2024 )

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 9 FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 11 DURRELL ANTHONY PUCKETT, Case No. 1:23-cv-00054-HBK (PC) 12 Plaintiff, ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION 13 v. (Doc. No. 65) 14 J. BARRIOS, et al., 15 Defendants. 16 17 On December 29, 2023, Plaintiff filed a Motion for Reconsideration of the Court’s 18 December 19, 2023 Order denying appointment of Counsel. (Doc. No. 65, “Motion”). Plaintiff 19 asks the Court to reconsider its Order because he is suicidal, mentally unstable, suffers 20 hallucinations, and was recently renewed for involuntary “psych meds.” (Id. at 1). Because 21 Plaintiff’s Motion was filed within 28 days of the order being challenged, the Court construes it 22 as made pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 59(e). See Fed. R. Civ. P. 59(e). 23 Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 59(e) permits a party to move a court to alter or amend its 24 judgment. “A district court may grant a Rule 59(e) motion if it ‘is presented with newly 25 discovered evidence, committed clear error, or if there is an intervening change in the controlling 26 law.’” Wood v. Ryan, 759 F.3d 1117, 1121 (9th Cir. 2014) (internal quotation marks, citation 27 omitted) (emphasis in original). “A party seeking reconsideration must show more than a 28 disagreement with the [c]ourt’s decision, and recapitulation of the cases and arguments 1 | considered by the court before rendering its original decision fails to carry the moving party’s 2 | burden.” U.S. v. Westlands Water Dist., 134 F. Supp. 2d 1111, 1131 (E.D. Cal. 2001) Gnternal 3 | quotations omitted). To succeed, a party must set forth facts or law of a strongly convincing 4 | nature to induce the court to reverse its prior order. See Kern-Tulare Water Dist. v. City of 5 | Bakersfield, 634 F. Supp. 656, 665 (E.D. Cal. 1986), affirmed in part and reversed in part on 6 | other grounds, 828 F.2d 514 (9th Cir. 1987). 7 Plaintiff's motion for reconsideration does not present any newly discovered evidence, 8 | demonstrate clear error, or set forth any change in the controlling law. Rather, Plaintiff reiterates 9 | the fact that he suffers from mental health impairments that make it difficult for him to represent 10 | himself. (Doc. No. 65 at 1). Plaintiff previously advanced this as a justification in his original 11 || motion to appoint counsel. (Doc. No. 55 at 1). As the undersigned noted in its prior Order 12 | denying Appoint of Counsel, Plaintiff fails to establish “exceptional circumstances” necessary to 13 || warrant appointment of counsel. (Doc. No. 58 at 6). While the Court is sympathetic to the 14 | challenges Plaintiff faces, he has capably filed Motions and other pleadings in this case, and his 15 | claims have survived screening. Indeed, Plaintiff recently requested permission and was granted 16 | leave to file a Third Amended Complaint. (Doc. Nos. 67, 68, 74). Thus, Plaintiff has 17 || demonstrated an ability to litigate this case and has not established a sufficient reason under Rule 18 | 59 to warrant reconsideration of the Court’s December 19, 2023 Order. 19 Accordingly, it is ORDERED: 20 Plaintiffs construed motion for reconsideration under Rule 59(e) (Doc. No. 65) is 21 | DENIED. | Dated: _ February 15,2024 Mihaw. Wh. foareh fackte 23 HELENA M. BARCH-KUCHTA UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE 25 26 27 28