Case Activity (9615)

1. Order | Filed: July 06, 2026 | Entered: July 06, 2026 Hootstein v. Town of Shutesbury et al

   Civil Rights: Other | Massachusetts

   Order Referring Case to ADR

   Judge Mark G. Mastroianni: ELECTRONIC ORDER entered. ORDER REFERRING CASE to Alternative Dispute Resolution.(TRL)

2. Order | Filed: July 06, 2026 | Entered: July 06, 2026 Hootstein v. Town of Shutesbury et al

   Civil Rights: Other | Massachusetts

   Order

   Judge Mark G. Mastroianni: Electronic order entered construing 137 The Parties Joint Letter/request (non-motion) for Referral to Magistrate Judge for Mediation and Request for Appointment of Counsel as a motion, granting in part to the extent the parties are seeking a referral for mediation and denying in part to the extent the parties are moving to appoint counsel for Plaintiff. Civil litigants do not have a constitutional or statutory right to free counsel, and the court does not have the funds to pay attorneys to represent plaintiffs in civil cases. Although the court may request an attorney represent a plaintiff pro bono in limited circumstances, Plaintiff has not shown the type of exceptional circumstances which justify such a request at this time. The court is sympathetic to the difficulties Plaintiff faces, but it still must balance the merits of his claim against the expenditure of scarce pro bono resources. This ruling is without prejudice to a renewed motion for appointment of counsel, if appropriate, at a later stage of this litigation.

   Plaintiff is advised, however, that he can seek the assistance of the Boston College Law Schools Federal Pro Se Legal Assistance Clinic. Plaintiff can access the clinics website at https://lawguides.bc.edu/federal-pro-se. To contact the clinic, Plaintiff can email the clinic at BCLawclinic@bc.edu or call 617-552-5297. (TRL)

3. 9613 additional result(s)