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

1 Karl F. Osterhout, Esq. Osterhout Berger Disability Law, LLC 2 521 Cedar Way, Suite 200 Oakmont, PA 15139 3 Phone: 412-794-8003, ext 401 Karl@mydisabilityattorney.com 4 PA Bar ID: 49658 5 David Allen, Esq. 6 CA Bar ID No.: 87193 David Allen & Associates 7 5230 Folsom Boulevard Sacramento, CA 95819 8 Telephone: (916)455-4800 Facsimile:916-451-5687 9 davidallen@davidallenlaw.com 10 Attorneys for Plaintiff, Erica Winters Freehoffer 11 MCGREGOR W. SCOTT United States Attorney 12 DEBORAH LEE STACHEL, CSBN 230138 13 Regional Chief Counsel, Region IX Social Security Administration 14 MARCELO ILLARMO, MABN 670079 Special Assistant United States Attorney 15 Assistant Regional Counsel Social Security Administration, Region IX 16 160 Spear Street, Suite 800 17 San Francisco, California 94105 Tel: (415) 977-8978 18 Fax: (415) 744-0134 E-mail: Marcelo.Illarmo@ssa.gov 19 Attorneys for Defendant 20 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 21 SACRAMENTO DIVISION 22 ERICA ANN WINTERS FREEHOFFER, Case No. 2:18-cv-2391-EFB 23 Plaintiff, STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER 24 v. FOR THE AWARD OF ATTORNEY FEES UNDER THE EQUAL ACCESS TO JUSTICE 25 ANDREW SAUL, ACT (EAJA) Commissioner of Social Security, 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d) 26 27 Defendant. 1 TO THE HONORABLE EDMUND F. BRENNAN, MAGISTRATE JUDGE OF THE 2 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT: 3 The Parties through their undersigned counsel, subject to the Court’s approval, stipulate that 4 Plaintiff be awarded attorney fees in the amount of SEVEN THOUSAND, FOUR HUNDRED 5 DOLLARS and 00/100 ($7,400.00) under the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA), 28 U.S.C. 6 § 2412(d). This amount represents compensation for all legal services rendered on behalf of Plaintiff 7 by counsel in connection with this civil action, in accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d). 8 After the Court issues an order for EAJA fees to Plaintiff, the government will consider the 9 matter of Plaintiff’s assignment of EAJA fees to counsel. Pursuant to Astrue v. Ratliff, 560 U.S. 586, 10 598, 130 S.Ct. 2521, 177 L.Ed.2d 91 (2010), the ability to honor the assignment will depend on 11 whether the fees are subject to any offset allowed under the United States Department of the 12 Treasury’s Offset Program. After the order for EAJA fees is entered, the government will determine 13 whether they are subject to any offset. 14 15 Fees shall be made payable to Plaintiff, but if the Department of the Treasury determines that 16 Plaintiff does not owe a federal debt, then the government shall cause the payment of fees, expenses 17 and costs to be made directly to counsel, pursuant to the assignment executed by Plaintiff. Any 18 payments made shall be delivered to Plaintiff’s counsel, Karl E. Osterhout. 19 This stipulation constitutes a compromise settlement of Plaintiff’s request for EAJA fees, and 20 does not constitute an admission of liability on the part of Defendant under the EAJA. Payment of 21 SEVEN THOUSAND, FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS and 00/100 ($7,400.00) in EAJA attorney fees 22 shall constitute a complete release from, and bar to, any and all claims that Plaintiff and Plaintiff’s 23 attorneys, David Allen and Karl E. Osterhout, or their law firms may have relating to EAJA attorney 24 fees in connection with this action. 25 26 27 4.10 UV VOoVUUL LI WY PVUULILIOCEIL 2 PHUmu VOrecorcy Payee vviv 1 This award is without prejudice to the rights of Plaintiff's attorney to seek Social Security Act 2 attorney fees under 42 U.S.C. § 406(b), subject to the savings clause provisions of the EAJA. 3 Respectfully submitted, 4 5 || Dated: August 25, 2020 /s/ Karl E. Osterhout KARL E. OSTERHOUT 6 Attorney for Plaintiff 7 8 Dated: August 26, 2020 MCGREGOR W. SCOTT United States Attorney 9 DEBORAH LEE STACHEL Regional Chief Counsel, Region IX 10 Social Security Administration 11 By: __/s/ Marcelo Illarmo* 12 MARCELO ILLARMO Special Assistant U.S. Attorney 13 Attorneys for Defendant (*Permission to use electronic signature 14 obtained from counsel via email on 8/26/20). 15 16 | So ORDERED. 17 18 . DATE: August 28, 2020. U4 Oy 19 HON. EDMUND F. BRENNAN United States Magistrate Judge 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 -3-