The opinion
EASTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI
EASTERN DIVISION
LESLIE RACHELL REED, )
)
Plaintiff, )
)
v. ) No. 4:23-cv-01039-SPM
)
ST. LOUIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS )
BOARD OF EDUCATION, )
)
Defendant. )
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
Plaintiff Leslie Rachell Reed moves for appointment of counsel in this employment
discrimination action. After considering the motion and the pleadings, the motion is denied without
prejudice to refiling at a later time.
There is no constitutional or statutory right to appointed counsel in civil cases. Nelson v.
Redfield Lithograph Printing, 728 F.2d 1003, 1004 (8th Cir. 1984). In determining whether to
appoint counsel, the Court considers several factors, including (1) whether the plaintiff has
presented non-frivolous allegations supporting her prayer for relief; (2) whether the plaintiff will
substantially benefit from the appointment of counsel; (3) whether there is a need to further
investigate and present the facts related to the plaintiff’s allegations; and (4) whether the factual
and legal issues presented by the action are complex. See Johnson v. Williams, 788 F.2d 1319,
1322-23 (8th Cir. 1986); Nelson, 728 F.2d at 1005.
It appears that plaintiff has presented non-frivolous allegations in her complaint for
employment discrimination. However, she has demonstrated, at this point, that she can adequately
present her claims to the Court. Additionally, neither the factual nor the legal issues in this case
are complex. Thus, the Court will decline to appoint counsel at this juncture. Nonetheless, the
Court will entertain future motions for appointment of counsel as the case progresses.
Accordingly,
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that plaintiff's motion for appointment of counsel [ECF No.
3] is DENIED at this time.
Nady AQ
SHIRLEY PADMORE MENSAH
UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE
Dated this 1st day of September 2023.
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