R.P. v. Commissioner of Social Security

Filing 20

STIPULATION and ORDER signed by Magistrate Judge Allison Claire on 2/11/16 ORDERING that plaintiff is awarded attorney fees in the amount of $2,800.00 under the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA), 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d). (Kastilahn, A)

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Young Cho
Attorney at Law: 189870
Law Offices of Lawrence D. Rohlfing
12631 East Imperial Highway, Suite C-115
Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
Tel.: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]

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Attorneys for Plaintiff
Attorney for plaintiff R.P., by and through her
guardian ad litem, Tracie Perez

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
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R.P. BY AND THROUGH HER
GUARDIAN AD LITEM TRACIE
PEREZ,,

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Plaintiff,
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vs.
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CAROLYN W. COLVIN, Acting
Commissioner of Social Security,
Defendant.

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Case No.: 2:15-cv-01366-AC
STIPULATION AND PROPOSED
ORDER FOR THE AWARD AND
PAYMENT OF ATTORNEY FEES
AND EXPENSES PURSUANT TO
THE EQUAL ACCESS TO JUSTICE
ACT, 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d) AND
COSTS PURSUANT TO 28 U.S.C. §
1920

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TO THE HONORABLE ALLISON CLAIRE, MAGISTRATE JUDGE OF
THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT:
IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED by and between the parties through their

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undersigned counsel, subject to the approval of the Court, that plaintiff, R.P., by

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and through her guardian ad litem, Tracie Perez, be awarded attorney fees in the

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amount of two thousand eight hundred dollars ($2,800.00) under the Equal Access
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to Justice Act (EAJA), 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d). This amount represents compensation

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for all legal services rendered on behalf of Plaintiff by counsel in connection with

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this civil action, in accordance with 28 U.S.C. §§ 1920; 2412(d).

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After the Court issues an order for EAJA fees to plaintiff, the government

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will consider the matter of plaintiff’s assignment of EAJA fees to Young Cho.

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Pursuant to Astrue v. Ratliff, 130 S.Ct. 2521, 2529 (2010), the ability to honor the

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assignment will depend on whether the fees are subject to any offset allowed under

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the United States Department of the Treasury's Offset Program. After the order for

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EAJA fees is entered, the government will determine whether they are subject to

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any offset.

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Fees shall be made payable to plaintiff, but if the Department of the

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Treasury determines that plaintiff does not owe a federal debt, then the government

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shall cause the payment of fees, expenses and costs to be made directly to Law

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Offices of Lawrence D. Rohlfing, pursuant to the assignment executed by

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plaintiff. United States v. $186,416.00, 722 F.3d 1173, 1176 (9th Cir. 2013)

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($186,416.00 II) (ordering fees paid to counsel because of an assignment that did

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not interfere with a raised superior lien).1 Any payments made shall be delivered

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to Young Cho.

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The Commissioner does not stipulate to the citation of $186,416.00 II, and will
not participate in representing to this Court that it carries legal import in these
proceedings. $186,416 II involved a different statute and very different factual
circumstances than those presented here, or in other Social Security cases.
Because the parties have agreed to the payment of EAJA fees, and the amount, and
to avoid motion practice solely related to Plaintiff’s citation, the Commissioner
agrees to this stipulation. The Commissioner reserves the right to challenge the
applicability of $186,416 II to any Social Security case, and this Stipulation should
not be construed as a waiver of such reservation.
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This stipulation constitutes a compromise settlement of plaintiff’s request

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for EAJA attorney fees, and does not constitute an admission of liability on the part

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of Defendant under the EAJA or otherwise. Payment of the agreed amount shall

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constitute a complete release from, and bar to, any and all claims that plaintiff

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and/or Young Cho including Law Offices of Lawrence D. Rohlfing may have

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relating to EAJA attorney fees in connection with this action.

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This award is without prejudice to the rights of Young Cho and/or the Law

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Offices of Lawrence D. Rohlfing to seek Social Security Act attorney fees under

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42 U.S.C. § 406(b), subject to the savings clause provisions of the EAJA.

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DATE: February 11, 2016

Respectfully submitted,
LAW OFFICES OF LAWRENCE D. ROHLFING

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/s/ Young Cho
BY: __________________
Young Cho
Attorney for plaintiff R.P., by and through her
guardian ad litem, Tracie Perez

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DATE: February 11, 2016

BENJAMIN B. WAGNER
United States Attorney

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/s/ Michael K. Marriott
Michael K. Marriott
Special Assistant United States Attorney
Attorneys for Defendant Carolyn W. Colvin,
Acting Commissioner of Social Security
(Per e-mail authorization)

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Plaintiff contends that U.S. v. $186,416.00 in U.S. Currency, 642 F.3d 753, 757
(9th Cir. 2011) ($186,416.00 I) held that there is no functional difference between
the CAFRA and EAJA in terms of “ownership” of the fee. U.S. v. Kim, 797 F.3d
696, 699 (9th Cir. 2015) holds that the Anti-Assignment Act invalidates an
assignment but does not preclude the attorney from gaining an interest in the fees.
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ORDER

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Approved and so ordered:
DATE: February 11, 2016

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