Medina v. Wexford Health Source Inc. et al

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS
NESTOR MEDINA, )
Plaintiff,
v.
FELICIA ADKINS, et al.,
Defendants.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
Case No. 24-cv-1532-RJD
ORDER
DALY, Magistrate Judge:1
This matter is before the Court on Victor Scott Williams’ Motion for Relief from
Assignment of Counsel (Doc. 167). For good cause shown, the motion is GRANTED, and
Attorney Williams is TERMINATED from this action. Because the circumstances warranting
recruitment of counsel remain unchanged, the Court, sua sponte, assigns Attorney Paul Hess of
the law firm of Roberts Perryman, P.C. to represent Plaintiff Nestor Medina in this civil rights
case.
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that, in accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1) and Local
Rules 83.1(j) and 83.9(b), the Court assigns Attorney Paul Hess of the law firm of Roberts
Perryman, P.C. to represent Plaintiff Nestor Medina in this civil rights case. On or before
February 13, 2026, assigned counsel shall enter his appearance in this case. Attorney Hess is free
to share responsibilities with an attorney in his firm who is also admitted to practice in this district
1 This case has been assigned to the undersigned to conduct all proceedings, including trial and final entry
of judgment upon the parties’ full consent pursuant to 28 U.S.C. Sec. 636(c) and Federal Rule of Civil
Procedure 73. (Doc. 79).
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court. Assigned counsel, however, must enter the case and shall make first contact with Plaintiff,
explaining that an associate may also be working on the case. Plaintiff should wait for his attorney
to contact him to allow counsel an opportunity to review the court file. The Clerk of Court is
DIRECTED to transmit this Order to Attorney Hess. The electronic case file is available through
the CM-ECF system.
Plaintiff is reminded that he shall not personally file anything in this case, except a pleading
that asks that he be allowed to have counsel withdraw from representation. If counsel is allowed
to withdraw at the request of Plaintiff, there is no guarantee the Court will appoint other counsel
to represent Plaintiff.
Counsel is ADVISED to consult Local Rules 83.8-83.14 regarding pro bono case
procedures.
Section 2.6 of this Court’s Plan for the Administration of the District Court Fund provides
for a degree of reimbursement of pro bono counsel’s out-of-pocket expenses up to $5,000, as funds
are available. The Plan can be found on the Court’s website, as well as the form motion for out-
of-pocket expenses and an Authorization/Certification for Reimbursement. 2 Any motion for
reimbursement must be made within 30 days from the entry of judgment, or reimbursement will
be waived. See SDIL-LR 83.13. The funds available for this purpose are limited, however, and
counsel should use the utmost care when incurring out-of-pocket costs. In no event will funds be
reimbursed if the expenditure is found to be without a proper basis. No portion of a partial filing
fee assessed pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915 will be reimbursed. Counsel may be reimbursed for
PACER fees for this case. The Court has no authority to pay attorney’s fees in this case. However,
2 District Court Plans | Southern District of Illinois | United States District Court
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if, after the assignment, counsel discovers that Plaintiff can pay for legal services in whole or in
part, counsel shall bring that information to the Court’s attention. See SDIL-LR 83.14(a).
The district court has entered into an agreement with attorney Alan Mills and the Uptown
People’s Law Center to consult with lawyers on issues in these cases, including substantive and
procedural questions (both legal and practical) and dealing with the client. Mr. Mills can be
reached by email at alan@uplcchicago.org. His services are available to counsel free of charge, as
long as counsel is representing a prisoner pro bono on a case in the district. The Uptown People’s
Law Center website also contains information and resources.
In addition, the Court’s website, www.ilsd.uscourts.gov, includes a guide for attorneys,
which is available as a resource. To access the guide, click on the “Attorney Information” tab at
the top of the Court’s website and select the “Guide for Attorneys Recruited to Represent Plaintiffs
in Section 1983 Cases.”
As of this date, Plaintiff’s contact information is:
Conclusion
For the reasons set forth above, Victor Scott Williams’ Motion for Relief from Assignment
of Counsel (Doc. 167) is GRANTED. Attorney Victor Scott Williams is TERMINATED.
Attorney Paul Hess of the law firm of Roberts Perryman, P.C. to enter his appearance by
February 13, 2026. The Clerk of Court is DIRECTED to transmit this Order to Attorney Hess
at Roberts Perryman, PC, 1034 S. Brentwood Suite 2100, St. Louis, Missouri 63117, as well as at
Nestor Medina
N90665
DANVILLE CORRECTIONAL CENTER
3820 East Main Street
Danville, IL 61834
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phess@robertsperryman.com. This matter will be set for a status conference upon Attorney Hess’
entry of appearance.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
DATED: January 30, 2026
s/ Reona J. Daly
Hon. Reona J. Daly
United States Magistrate Judge
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