Torres v. Universal Music Group N.V.
- Lewis Liman
- 1:24-cv-05323
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 1
In Torres v. Universal Music Group N.V., Judge Liman denied the pro se plaintiff’s request to replace his assigned counsel.
John Adrian Torres, the pro se plaintiff seeking reassignment of his assigned CJA counsel.
What happened
In Torres v. Universal Music Group N.V., John Adrian Torres, who is representing himself, asked the court to replace his assigned CJA attorney, Chris Wright. Torres said Wright had not communicated or helped him prepare for an upcoming proceeding.
Torres requested counsel with experience in civil evidentiary hearings, document authentication, or intellectual-property and digital-asset matters. The court said it had previously suggested that Torres consult criminal defense counsel about potential criminal-liability questions arising from his court filings and whether to claim the constitutional protection against self-incrimination.
The court denied the request. Judge Lewis Liman explained that pro bono counsel are a scarce resource and generally are requested only when a plaintiff’s position appears likely to have substance; he concluded that Torres’s complaint fell far short of that standard.
The detailed version
- Torres v. Universal Music Group N.V. · No. 1:24-cv-05323
- Lewis Liman
- Oct. 23, 2025
Background
John Adrian Torres identified himself as a pro se plaintiff and asked the court to reassign his CJA counsel, Chris Wright. Torres stated that, despite multiple good-faith attempts to contact Wright, he had received no communication or assistance preparing for an upcoming proceeding. He asked for counsel experienced with civil evidentiary hearings, document authentication, or intellectual-property and digital-asset matters.
Court’s reasoning
The court denied the request. It stated that it had suggested Torres consult criminal defense counsel about criminal-liability questions he potentially faces as a result of filings with the court and whether to invoke the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination. The court also noted that pro bono counsel serve at the court’s request and are a scarce resource. Citing Hodge v. Police Officers, the court said such counsel generally are requested only when a plaintiff’s position appears likely to have substance. It concluded that Torres’s complaint fell far short of satisfying that standard.
Disposition
On October 23, 2025, Judge Lewis Liman denied Torres’s request for reassignment of counsel. The opinion does not state that the court dismissed the case or resolve the underlying claims.
Read the full 1-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.