FRANK P. GERACI, JR., Chief District Judge.
Presently before the Court is plaintiff's second application for appointment of counsel. ECF No. 19. Plaintiff asserts that the appointment is necessary because of the complexities of his legal action, the need to provide legal defense against defendant's dispositive motion, and his inability to represent himself or afford legal counsel. Id. For the reasons that follow, plaintiff's motion is
Unlike most criminal defendants, civil litigants do not have a constitutional right to pro bono counsel. Burgos v. Hopkins, 14 F.3d 787, 789 (2d Cir. 1994). However, the court has the discretion to appoint counsel pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e) when deemed appropriate. Sears, Roebuck & Co. v. Charles W. Sears Real Estate, Inc., 865 F.2d 22, 23 (2d Cir. 1988). In deciding whether appointment of counsel is appropriate, the Court should follow the standards outlined by the Second Circuit in Hodge v. Police Officers:
802 F.2d 58, 61-62 (2d Cir. 1986).
Applying these factors to the instant case, this Court finds that the appointment of counsel is unwarranted at this time. For purposes of this application, the Court will assume, without deciding, that the case may be of substance. The Court has previously determined that the record of administrative proceedings demonstrated that plaintiff can litigate this matter unassisted because he submitted additional medical evidence to the Appeal Counsel along with several detailed posthearing statements arguing against defendant's denial of benefits. It also has previously decided that the decision of the Commissioner is not overly complex or novel. Foggie ex rel. Geronimo v. Comm'r of Soc. Sec., 243 F.Supp.2d 2, 4 (S.D.N.Y. 2003). Plaintiff has been able to effectively litigate this action by properly presenting his claims in his complaint and articulating his request for assignment of counsel concisely and with clarity in his previous motion for appointment of counsel (ECF No. 16) as well as his current application (ECF No. 19). Lauro v. Comm'r of Soc. Sec., 6:12-CV-912 (MAD/DEP), 2012 WL12929879 (N.D.N.Y. Dec.18, 2012). Therefore, plaintiff's current application does not provide for any specific changed circumstances that would allow this Court to determine that he will be unable to provide opposition to defendant's motion for judgment on the pleadings. Id. Thus, based on the existing record in this case, appointment of counsel is unwarranted at this time.
Additionally, on January 31, 2019, this Court issued an Order to Show Cause requesting that plaintiff submit an explanation as to why this case should not be dismissed for failure to adhere to the dispositive motion deadline because he had failed to file a dispositive motion pursuant to Local Rule of Civil Procedure 5.5.
For the foregoing reasons, plaintiff's motion for appointment of counsel (ECF No. 19) is