California Case Summaries

Julio Cesar Sanchez Lopez v. Warden of the Mesa Verde Detention Facility — Court Denies Motion for Appointment of Counsel Without Prejudice

Unreported / Non-Citable

Case
Julio Cesar Sanchez Lopez v. Warden of the Mesa Verde Detention Facility
Court
U.S. District Court — Eastern District of California
Judge
Stanley A. Boone
Date decided
2026-11-05
Docket No.
1:26-cv-09026
Topics
habeas corpus, appointment of counsel, immigration detention, pro se litigants, Criminal Justice Act

Disposition notice

Petitioner Julio Cesar Sanchez Lopez, an immigration detainee proceeding pro se, filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus under 28 U.S.C. § 2241 and moved for appointment of counsel. The court explained that there is no absolute right to counsel in habeas proceedings, but the Criminal Justice Act permits appointment for financially eligible persons when "the interests of justice so require," 18 U.S.C. § 3006A(a)(2)(B), applying the Weygandt v. Look standard that weighs likelihood of success and the petitioner's ability to articulate his claims. Finding that Petitioner appeared to have a sufficient grasp of the claims and legal issues and could articulate them adequately, the court concluded the interests of justice did not require appointment at the present time, while noting it may revisit the request after reviewing Respondent's response if the issues prove more complex. The motion (ECF No. 2) was denied without prejudice.

Read the public order

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