(SS) Hollingsworth v. Commissioner of Social Security ( 2024 )

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 Fax: (925) 522-5306 4 Email: francesco@benavidesdisabilitylaw.com 5 Attorney for Plaintiff 6 HOLLY MARIE HOLLINGSWORTH 7 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 8 EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 9 FRESNO DIVISION 10 HOLLY MARIE HOLLINGSWORTH, Case No. 1:23-cv-01772-SKO 11 Plaintiff, STIPULATION AND UNOPPOSED MOTION 12 FOR THE AWARD OF ATTORNEY FEES 13 v. PURSUANT TO THE EQUAL ACCESS TO JUSTICE ACT; ORDER 14 MARTIN J. O’MALLEY, Commissioner of Social Security, 15 Defendant. 16 IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED by and between the parties through their undersigned counsel, 17 subject to the approval of the Court, that Plaintiff be awarded attorney fees and expenses in the amount 18 19 of $8,500.00, under the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA), 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d), and no costs under 20 28 U.S.C. § 1920. This amount represents compensation for all legal services rendered on behalf of 21 Plaintiff by counsel in connection with this civil action, in accordance with 28 U.S.C. §§ 2412(d), 22 1920. 23 After the Court issues an order for EAJA fees to Plaintiff, the government will consider the 24 matter of Plaintiff’s assignment of EAJA fees to counsel. Pursuant to Astrue v. Ratliff, 560 U.S. 586, 25 598, 130 S.Ct. 2521, 177 L.Ed.2d 91 (2010), the ability to honor the assignment will depend on 26 whether the fees are subject to any offset allowed under the United States Department of the 27 Treasury’s Offset Program. After the order for EAJA fees is entered, the government will determine 1 Fees shall be made payable to Plaintiff, but if the Department of the Treasury determines that 2 Plaintiff does not owe a federal debt, then the government shall cause the payment of fees, expenses 3 and costs to be made directly to Plaintiff’s counsel, Francesco Benavides, pursuant to the assignment 4 executed by Plaintiff. 5 This stipulation constitutes a compromise settlement of Plaintiff’s request for EAJA attorney 6 fees and does not constitute an admission of liability on the part of Defendant under the EAJA or 7 otherwise. Payment of the agreed amount shall constitute a complete release from, and bar to, any 8 and all claims that Plaintiff and/or Francesco Benavides, including the Law Offices of Francesco 9 Benavides, may have relating to EAJA attorney fees in connection with this action. 10 This award is without prejudice to the rights of Francesco Benavides to seek Social Security 11 Act attorney fees under 42 U.S.C. § 406(b), subject to the savings clause provisions of the EAJA. 12 13 Respectfully submitted, 14 15 Dated: May 6, 2024 Law Offices of Francesco Benavides 16 By: /s/ Francesco Benavides FRANCESCO P. BENAVIDES 17 Attorney for Plaintiff 18 19 20 Dated: May 6, 2024 PHILLIP A. TALBERT 21 United States Attorney 22 MATHEW W. PILE Associate General Counsel 23 Social Security Administration 24 By: Oscar Gonzalez de Llano* OSCAR GONZALEZ de Llano 25 Special Assistant U.S. Attorney 26 Attorneys for Defendant (*Permission to use electronic signature 27 obtained via email on May 6, 2024). 1 ORDER 2 Based upon the parties’ Stipulation for the Award and Payment of Equal Access to Justice Act 3 Fees and Expenses (Doc. 17), IT IS ORDERED that fees and expenses in the amount of $8,500.00 as 4 authorized by 28 U.S.C. § 2412, and no costs under 28 U.S.C. § 1920, be awarded subject to the terms 5 of the Stipulation. 6 7 IT IS SO ORDERED. 8 9 Dated: May 7, 2024 /s/ Sheila K. Oberto . UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27