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

1 Francesco Benavides, CSBN 258924 Law Offices of Francesco Benavides 2 1990 N. California Blvd. Suite 20 Walnut Creek, CA 94596 3 Tel: (925) 222-7071 4 Fax: (925) 522-5306 Email: francesco@benavidesdisabilitylaw.com 5 6 Attorney for Plaintiff KATRINA POWERS 7 8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 9 EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 FRESNO DIVISION 11 12 KATRINA POWERS, Case No. 1:22-cv-01034-SKO 13 Plaintiff, ORDER GRANTING STIPULATION 14 AND UNOPPOSED MOTION FOR THE 15 v. AWARD AND PAYMENT OF ATTORNEY FEES AND EXPENSES 16 KILOLO KIJAKAZI, Acting PURSUANT TO THE EQUAL ACCESS 17 Commissioner of Social Security, TO JUSTICE ACT 18 Defendant. (Doc. 19) 19 20 IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED by and between the parties through their 21 undersigned counsel, subject to the approval of the Court, that Plaintiff be awarded 22 attorney fees and expenses in the amount of $7,000.00, under the Equal Access to 23 Justice Act (EAJA), 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d), and no costs under 28 U.S.C. § 1920. This 24 amount represents compensation for all legal services rendered on behalf of Plaintiff by 25 counsel in connection with this civil action, in accordance with 28 U.S.C. §§ 2412(d), 26 1920. 27 After the Court issues an order for EAJA fees to Plaintiff, the government will 1 Astrue v. Ratliff, 560 U.S. 586, 598, 130 S.Ct. 2521, 177 L.Ed.2d 91 (2010), the ability 2 to honor the assignment will depend on whether the fees are subject to any offset 3 allowed under the United States Department of the Treasury’s Offset Program. After 4 the order for EAJA fees is entered, the government will determine whether they are 5 subject to any offset. 6 Fees shall be made payable to Plaintiff, but if the Department of the Treasury 7 determines that Plaintiff does not owe a federal debt, then the government shall cause 8 the payment of fees, expenses and costs to be made directly to Plaintiff’s counsel, 9 Francesco Benavides, pursuant to the assignment executed by Plaintiff. 10 This stipulation constitutes a compromise settlement of Plaintiff’s request for 11 EAJA attorney fees and does not constitute an admission of liability on the part of 12 Defendant under the EAJA or otherwise. Payment of the agreed amount shall 13 constitute a complete release from, and bar to, any and all claims that Plaintiff and/or 14 Francesco Benavides, including the Law Offices of Francesco Benavides, may have 15 relating to EAJA attorney fees in connection with this action. 16 This award is without prejudice to the rights of Francesco Benavides to seek 17 Social Security Act attorney fees under 42 U.S.C. § 406(b), subject to the savings 18 clause provisions of the EAJA. 19 20 Respectfully submitted, 21 22 Dated: March 15, 2023 Law Offices of Francesco Benavides 23 By: /s/ Francesco Benavides 24 FRANCESCO P. BENAVIDES 25 Attorney for Plaintiff 26 27 1 Dated: March 15, 2023 PHILLIP A. TALBERT 2 United States Attorney MATHEW W. PILE 3 Associate General Counsel 4 Social Security Administration 5 By: Caspar Chan* 6 CASPAR CHAN Special Assistant U.S. Attorney 7 Attorneys for Defendant 8 (*Permission to use electronic signature 9 obtained via email on March 15, 2023). 10 ORDER 11 Based upon the foregoing Stipulation and Unopposed Motion for the Award and 12 13 Payment of Equal Access to Justice Act Fees and Expenses (Doc. 19), 14 IT IS ORDERED that fees and expenses in the amount of $7,000.00 as authorized 15 by 28 U.S.C. § 2412, and no costs under 28 U.S.C. § 1920, be awarded subject to the 16 17 terms of the Stipulation. 18 19 IT IS SO ORDERED. 20 21 Dated: March 16, 2023 /s/ Sheila K. Oberto . UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE 22 23 24 25 26 27