Robertson v. Social Security Administration Commissioner

Filing 18

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER granting plaintiff's 15 Motion for attorney's fees in the amount of $4,901.75. Signed by Honorable Mark E. Ford on August 31, 2016. (rw)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS
FORT SMITH DIVISION
TRAVIS L. ROBERTSON
v.

PLAINTIFF
CIVIL NO. 2:15-cv-2073-MEF

CAROLYN W. COLVIN, Commissioner
Social Security Administration

DEFENDANT

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER
Pending now before this Court is Plaintiff’s Motion for Attorney Fees Under the Equal
Access to Justice Act (“EAJA”). ECF Nos. 15, 16. The parties have consented to the jurisdiction
of a Magistrate Judge to conduct any and all proceedings in this case, and pursuant to said
authority, the Court issues this Order. ECF No. 5.
On July 21, 2016, Plaintiff filed a motion for attorney’s fees and costs under 28 U.S.C. §
2412, the Equal Access to Justice Act (hereinafter “EAJA”) requesting $4,901.75 representing a
total of 17.35 attorney hours for work performed in 2015 at an hourly rate of $187.00, 7.10 attorney
hours for work performed in 2016 at an hourly rate of $188.00 and 4.30 paralegal hours at an
hourly rate of $75.00. ECF No. 16-3. On August 3, 2016, the Defendant filed a response voicing
no objections to the Plaintiff’s request for fees. ECF No. 17.
It is the opinion of the undersigned that the Plaintiff is entitled to a fee award in this case,
as he is the prevailing party, the government’s decision to deny benefits was not “substantially
justified”, the hourly rate requested for both attorney and paralegal hours does not exceed the CPI
for either year in question, and the time asserted to have been spent in the representation of the
Plaintiff before the district court is reasonable. See Jackson v. Bowen, 807 F.2d 127, 128 (8th Cir.
1986) (burden is on the Commissioner to show substantial justification for the government’s denial
of benefits); Johnson v. Sullivan, 919 F.2d 503 (8th Cir. 1990) (the hourly rate may be increased

when there is “uncontested proof of an increase in the cost of living sufficient to justify hourly
attorney’s fees of more than $75.00 an hour); and Allen v. Heckler, 588 F.Supp. 1247 (W.D.N.Y.
1984) (in determining reasonableness, court looks at time and labor required; the difficulty of
questions involved; the skill required to handle the problems presented; the attorney's experience,
ability, and reputation; the benefits resulting to the client from the services; the customary fee for
similar services; the contingency or certainty of compensation; the results obtained; and, the
amount involved). Accordingly, Plaintiff is entitled to an attorney’s fee award under EAJA in the
amount of $4,901.75.
Pursuant to Astrue v. Ratliff, 130 S.Ct. 2521, 2528 (2010), the EAJA fee award should be
made payable to Plaintiff. However, as a matter of practice, an EAJA fee made payable to Plaintiff
may properly be mailed to Plaintiff’s counsel.
The parties are reminded that, in order to prevent double recovery by counsel for the
Plaintiff, the award herein under the EAJA will be taken into account at such time as a reasonable
fee is determined pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 406.
IV.

Conclusion:
Based upon the foregoing, Plaintiff is awarded the sum of $4,901.75 for attorney’s fees

pursuant to the EAJA, 28 U.S.C. § 2412.
Dated this 31st day of August, 2016.
/s/ Mark E. Ford
HONORABLE MARK E. FORD
UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE 

2