(SS) Aguilar v. Commissioner of Social Security ( 2023 )

1 Jonathan O. Peña, Esq. 2 CA Bar ID No.: 278044 Peña & Bromberg, PLC 3 2440 Tulare St., Ste. 320 4 Fresno, CA 93721 Telephone: 559-439-9700 5 Facsimile: 559-439-9723 6 Email: info@jonathanpena.com Attorney for Plaintiff, Ofelia Aguilar 7 8 9 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 10 FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA FRESNO DIVISION 11 12 Ofelia Aguilar, Case No. 1:21-cv-00365-GSA 13 Plaintiff, STIPULATION FOR THE AWARD 14 AND PAYMENT OF ATTORNEY v. FEES AND EXPENSES PURSUANT 15 TO THE EQUAL ACCESS TO 16 Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting JUSTICE ACT; ORDER Commissioner of Social Security, 17 18 Defendant. 19 IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED by and between the parties through their 20 undersigned counsel, subject to the approval of the Court, that Plaintiff be awarded 21 attorney fees and expenses in the amount of FIVE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED 22 AND FIFTY DOLLARS AND 47/100 ($5,950.47) under the Equal Access to Justice 23 Act (EAJA), 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d), and costs in the amount of ZERO dollars ($0.00) 24 under 28 U.S.C. §1920. This amount represents compensation for all legal services 25 rendered on behalf of Plaintiff by counsel in connection with this civil action, in 26 accordance with 28 U.S.C. §§ 1920, 2412(d). 27 1 After the Court issues an order for EAJA fees to Plaintiff, the government will 2 consider the matter of Plaintiff’s assignment of EAJA fees to counsel. Pursuant to 3 Astrue v. Ratliff, 560 U.S. 586, 598, 130 S.Ct. 2521, 177 L.Ed.2d 91 (2010), the ability 4 to honor the assignment will depend on whether the fees are subject to any offset 5 allowed under the United States Department of the Treasury’s Offset Program. After 6 the order for EAJA fees is entered, the government will determine whether they are 7 subject to any offset. 8 Fees shall be made payable to Plaintiff, but if the Department of the Treasury 9 determines that Plaintiff does not owe a federal debt, then the government shall cause 10 the payment of fees, expenses and costs to be made directly to Counsel, pursuant to 11 the assignment executed by Plaintiff. Any payments made shall be delivered to 12 Plaintiff’s counsel, Jonathan O. Peña. 13 This stipulation constitutes a compromise settlement of Plaintiff’s request for 14 EAJA attorney fees, and does not constitute an admission of liability on the part of 15 Defendant under the EAJA or otherwise. Payment of the agreed amount shall 16 constitute a complete release from, and bar to, any and all claims that Plaintiff and/or 17 Counsel including Counsel’s firm may have relating to EAJA attorney fees in 18 connection with this action. 19 This award is without prejudice to the rights of Counsel and/or Counsel’s firm 20 to seek Social Security Act attorney fees under 42 U.S.C. § 406(b), subject to the 21 savings clause provisions of the EAJA. 22 Respectfully submitted, 23 24 Dated: February 6, 2023 /s/ Jonathan O. Peña 25 J ONATHAN O. PEÑA 26 Attorney for Plaintiff 27 1 Dated: February 6, 2023 PHILLIP A. TALBERT United States Attorney 2 MATHEW W. PILE Associate General Counsel 3 Office of Program Litigation 4 Social Security Administration 5 By: _*_Christopher Vieira 6 Christopher Vieira Special Assistant U.S. Attorney 7 Attorneys for Defendant 8 (*Permission to use electronic signature 9 obtained via email on February 6, 2023). 10 ORDER 11 Based upon the parties’ Stipulation for the Award and Payment of Equal Access 12 13 to Justice Act Fees and Expenses (the “Stipulation”), 14 IT IS ORDERED that fees and expenses in the amount of FIVE THOUSAND 15 NINE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS AND 47/100 ($5,950.47) as authorized by 16 17 the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA), 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d), and costs in the amount 18 of ZERO dollars ($0.00) under 28 U.S.C. §1920. be awarded subject to the terms of 19 the Stipulation. 20 21 IT IS SO ORDERED. 22 Dated: February 6, 2023 /s/ Gary S. Austin 23 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE 24 25 26 27