Hearns v. Commissioner of Social Security Administration

Filing 24

ORDER granting 21 Motion for Attorney Fees and awarding fees in the amount of $4250.60. Signed by Honorable Charles Goodwin on 02/13/2020. (jb)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF OKLAHOMA
JOE S. HEARNS, JR.,
Plaintiff,
v.
ANDREW SAUL,
Commissioner of Social Security,
Defendant.

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Case No. CIV-17-1148-G

ORDER
On September 23, 2019, the Court entered an Opinion and Order and a Judgment
reversing the decision of the Commissioner and remanding this case for further
proceedings. See Doc. Nos. 18, 19. Plaintiff Joe S. Hearns, Jr. now requests an award of
attorney’s fees pursuant to the Equal Access to Justice Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2412. See Pl.’s
Mot. Att’y Fees (Doc. No. 21). Defendant has responded that he has no objection to the
requested fee award. See Def.’s Resp. (Doc. No. 23).1
Having considered Plaintiff’s unopposed request and the relevant record, the Court
finds that: “(1) [P]laintiff is a ‘prevailing party’; (2) the position of the United States was
not ‘substantially justified’; and (3) there are no special circumstances that make an award
of fees unjust” in this case. Hackett v. Barnhart, 475 F.3d 1166, 1172 (10th Cir. 2007)
(quoting 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d)(1)(A)). The Court therefore GRANTS Plaintiff’s request

Defendant likewise does not object to Plaintiff’s request for reimbursement of $400 in
costs, payable from the Judgment Fund administered by the U.S. Department of the
Treasury. See id. at 1-2; Doc. Nos. 20, 22.
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(Doc. No. 21) and awards fees in the amount of $4250.60, with said amount to be paid
directly to Plaintiff and sent in care of Casey L. Saunders, P.O. Box 2318, Ada, Oklahoma
74821. If attorney’s fees are also awarded under 42 U.S.C. § 406(b), Plaintiff’s counsel
shall refund the smaller award to Plaintiff pursuant to Weakley v. Bowen, 803 F.2d 575,
580 (10th Cir. 1986).
IT IS SO ORDERED this 13th day of February, 2020.

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