(SS) Wilson v. Commissioner of Social Security ( 2020 )

1 2 3 4 5 6 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 7 EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 8 FRESNO DIVISION 9 VICTOR WILSON, Case No. 1:20-cv-00307-EPG 10 Plaintiff, STIPULATION FOR THE AWARD AND 11 PAYMENT OF ATTORNEY FEES AND v. EXPENSES PURSUANT TO THE EQUAL 12 ACCESS TO JUSTICE ACT; ORDER 13 ANDREW SAUL, Commissioner of Social Security, (ECF No. 24) 14 Defendant. 15 IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED by and between the parties through their undersigned counsel, 16 subject to the approval of the Court, that Plaintiff be awarded attorney fees and expenses in the amount 17 of $3,328.99, under the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA), 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d). This amount 18 represents compensation for all legal services rendered on behalf of Plaintiff by counsel in connection 19 with this civil action, in accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d). 20 21 After the Court issues an order for EAJA fees to Plaintiff, the government will consider the 22 matter of Plaintiff’s assignment of EAJA fees to counsel. Pursuant to Astrue v. Ratliff, 560 U.S. 586, 23 598, 130 S.Ct. 2521, 177 L.Ed.2d 91 (2010), the ability to honor the assignment will depend on 24 whether the fees are subject to any offset allowed under the United States Department of the 25 Treasury’s Offset Program. After the order for EAJA fees is entered, the government will determine 26 whether they are subject to any offset. 27 Fees shall be made payable to Plaintiff, but if the Department of the Treasury determines that 1 and costs to be made directly to Counsel, pursuant to the assignment executed by Plaintiff. Any 2 payments made shall be delivered to Plaintiff’s counsel, Jonathan O. Peña. 3 This stipulation constitutes a compromise settlement of Plaintiff’s request for EAJA attorney 4 fees, and does not constitute an admission of liability on the part of Defendant under the EAJA or 5 otherwise. Payment of the agreed amount shall constitute a complete release from, and bar to, any 6 and all claims that Plaintiff and/or Counsel including Counsel’s firm may have relating to EAJA 7 attorney fees in connection with this action. 8 This award is without prejudice to the rights of Counsel and/or Counsel’s firm to seek Social 9 Security Act attorney fees under 42 U.S.C. § 406(b), subject to the savings clause provisions of the 10 EAJA. 11 12 Respectfully submitted, 13 14 Dated: September 30, 2020 /s/ Jonathan O. Peña J ONATHAN O. PEÑA 15 Attorney for Plaintiff 16 Dated: September 30, 2020 McGREGOR W. SCOTT 17 United States Attorney 18 DEBORAH LEE STACHEL Regional Chief Counsel, Region IX 19 Social Security Administration 20 By: Ellinor R. Coder* Ellinor R. Coder 21 Special Assistant U.S. Attorney 22 Attorneys for Defendant (*Permission to use electronic signature 23 obtained via email on September 30, 2020). 24 25 26 27 WQOe □□ □□ VEY POR NS MMVI oP PI MSIE POY VM VIG 1 ORDER 2 Based upon the parties’ Stipulation for the Award and Payment of Equal Access to Justice Act 3 || Fees and Expenses, (ECF No. 24), IT IS ORDERED that fees and expenses in the amount of 4 $3,328.99 as authorized by 28 U.S.C. § 2412 be awarded subject to the terms of the Stipulation. 5 6 5 IT IS SO ORDERED. g|| Dated: _ September 30, 2020 [Je heey — 9 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 -3-