(SS) Elizabeth Ann De La Torre 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, Elizabeth Ann De La Torre 7 8 9 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 10 FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA FRESNO DIVISION 11 12 Elizabeth Ann De La Torre, Case No. 1:21-cv-01002-SKO 13 Plaintiff, STIPULATION AND UNOPPOSED 14 MOTION FOR THE AWARD AND v. PAYMENT OF ATTORNEY FEES 15 AND EXPENSES PURSUANT TO THE 16 Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting EQUAL ACCESS TO JUSTICE ACT; Commissioner of Social Security, ORDER 17 18 Defendant. (Doc. 31) 19 20 21 IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED by and between the parties through their 22 undersigned counsel, subject to the approval of the Court, that Plaintiff be awarded 23 attorney fees and expenses in the amount of SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS and 00/100 24 ($6,000.00) under the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA), 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d), and 25 costs in the amount of zero dollars ($0.00) under 28 U.S.C. §1920. This amount 26 represents compensation for all legal services rendered on behalf of Plaintiff by counsel 27 in connection with this civil action, in accordance with 28 U.S.C. §§ 1920, 2412(d). 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 and 12 made payable to Plaintiff’s counsel, Jonathan O. Peña. Additionally, any payment of 13 costs under 28 U.S.C. §1920 may be made either by electronic fund transfer (ETF) or 14 by check. 15 This stipulation constitutes a compromise settlement of Plaintiff’s request for 16 EAJA attorney fees, and does not constitute an admission of liability on the part of 17 Defendant under the EAJA or otherwise. Payment of the agreed amount shall 18 constitute a complete release from, and bar to, any and all claims that Plaintiff and/or 19 Counsel including Counsel’s firm may have relating to EAJA attorney fees in 20 connection with this action. 21 This award is without prejudice to the rights of Counsel and/or Counsel’s firm 22 to seek Social Security Act attorney fees under 42 U.S.C. § 406(b), subject to the 23 savings clause provisions of the EAJA. 24 Respectfully submitted, 25 26 Dated: November 28, 2023 /s/ Jonathan O. Peña 27 1 J ONATHAN O. PEÑA Attorney for Plaintiff 2 3 Dated: November 28, 2023 PHILLIP A. TALBERT United States Attorney 4 MATHEW W. PILE 5 Associate General Counsel Office of Program Litigation 6 Social Security Administration 7 8 By: _*_Marla K. Letellier Marla K. Letellier 9 Special Assistant U.S. Attorney 10 Attorneys for Defendant (*Permission to use electronic signature 11 obtained via email on Nov. 28, 2023). 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 1 ORDER 2 Based upon the parties’ Stipulation for the Award and Payment of Equal Access 3 4 to Justice Act Fees and Expenses (the “Stipulation”) (Doc. 31), IT IS ORDERED that 5 fees and expenses in the amount of SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS and 00/100 6 ($6,000.00) as authorized by the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA), 28 U.S.C. § 7 8 2412(d), be awarded subject to the terms of the Stipulation. 9 10 IT IS SO ORDERED. 11 Dated: November 29, 2023 /s/ Sheila K. Oberto . 12 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27