Steven Anthony Wright v. Maryland Judiciary, Administrative Office of the Courts et al.

Summary

The United States District Court for the District of Maryland denied Steven Anthony Wright’s motion to disqualify the Maryland Office of the Attorney General from representing the defendants. The court granted an extension of time for defendants to respond to the amended complaint, denied as moot a motion to shorten time, and denied Wright’s request for appointment of counsel.

Holdings

1. Disqualification was not warranted because Wright failed to provide sufficient evidence showing that the defendants' interests were directly adverse or that a significant risk existed that the representation would be materially limited by competing responsibilities or interests.
2. The motion for an extension of time to respond to the amended complaint and to enlarge the response page limit was granted because the amended complaint's scope and counsel's planned parental leave established good cause.
3. Wright was not entitled to appointed counsel at this stage because he did not demonstrate exceptional circumstances showing both a colorable claim and an inability to present it.

Questions Presented

1. Whether the Maryland Office of the Attorney General should be disqualified from representing the defendants because of alleged conflicts of interest under Maryland's professional-conduct rules.
2. Whether the defendants had shown good cause for an extension of time to respond to the amended complaint and for an enlarged page limit.
3. Whether Wright was entitled to appointment of counsel under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1) based on the alleged complexity of the case and asserted resource imbalance.

Disposition

other