Lee v. Commissioner Social Security Administration

Filing 27

ORDER: Granting in Part, Denying in Part Application for Fees Pursuant to EAJA 22 . Signed on 9/17/09 by Judge Robert E. Jones. (tomg)

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I N T H E U N I T E D STATES D I S T R I C T C O U R T F O R THE DISTRICT OF OREGON WESLEY T. LEE, Plaintiff,
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C i v i l No. 0 8 - 6 1 3 2 - J O ORDER

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COMMISSIONER, SOCIAL S E C U R I T Y ADMINISTRATION, Defendant. D r e w L. J o h n s o n D R E W L. J O H N S O N , P . e . 1700 Valley River Drive E u g e n e , O R 97405 Linda S. Ziskin ZISKIN L A W OFFICE P. O. Box 2237 Lake Oswego, O R 97035 A t t o r n e y s for P l a i n t i f f

Leisa A. W o l f SOCIAL S E C U R I T Y ADMINISTRATION Office o f G e n e r a l C o u n s e l 701 Fifth Avenue Suite 2900 MIS 901 Seattle, W A 9 8 1 0 4 Adrian L. Brown U . S . A T T O R N E Y ' S OFFICE 1000 S.W. Third Avenue, Suite 600 Portland, O R 97204 O f A t t o r n e y s for U n i t e d S t a t e s o f A m e r i c a J O N E S , Judge: On M a y 4 , 2 0 0 9 , this court entered an Opinion and Order reversing the Commissioner's decision to deny claimant Wesley Lee's application for disability insurance benefits and s u p p l e m e n t a l s e c u r i t y i n c o m e b e n e f i t s and r e m a n d i n g t h e c a s e f o r a n i m m e d i a t e a w a r d o f benefits. The case i s now before the court on claimant's motion ( # 22) for attorney fees pursuant to the Equal Access to Justice Act ("EAJA"), 28 U.S.C. § 2412 e t seq. A s explained below, c l a i m a n t ' s m o t i o n i s a l l o w e d i n p a r t a n d d e n i e d i n part. DISCUSSION Claimant seeks an award o f $ 8 , 9 8 8 . 2 0 i n attorney fees for 52 hours o f w o r k performed in the district court. The Commissioner does not dispute that claimant w a s the prevailing party and is entitled to recover attorney fees. The Commissioner does, however, object to claimant's request, contending that the total hours claimed are excessive and n o t adequately explained. Specifically, t h e C o m m i s s i o n e r objects t h a t claimant's r e q u e s t i n c l u d e s 3 2 . 9 h o u r s i n block billing form, from November 19 through November 2 4 , 2 0 0 9 , for w o r k associated w i t h preparation o f the opening brief, and also includes tasks that are clerical in nature. The 2-0RDER

Commissioner p r o p o s e s t h a t a r a n g e o f 2 0 - 4 0 hours is m o r e a p p r o p r i a t e i n this t y p e o f litigation a n d s u g g e s t s a c a p o f 3 9 . 8 5 h o u r s f o r t h i s p a r t i c u l a r case. A f t e r r e v i e w i n g t h e file a n d t h e o p i n i o n o f t h i s c o u r t a n d i n v i e w o f c l a i m a n t ' s s u c c e s s i n o b t a i n i n g a r e v e r s a l for a n a w a r d o f b e n e f i t s , I find t h a t c l a i m a n t ' s h o u r s o v e r a l l a r e r e a s o n a b l e . I agree w i t h t h e C o m m i s s i o n e r , h o w e v e r , t h a t a r e d u c t i o n i s a p p r o p r i a t e t o a d d r e s s t h e i s s u e o f b l o c k b i l l i n g a n d t h e i n c l u s i o n o f t a s k s t h a t p l a i n l y are c l e r i c a l i n n a t u r e . R a t h e r t h a n p a r s e t h r o u g h e a c h entry, I w i l l d i s c o u n t t h e total hours (52) b y 10 percent. T a k i n g i n t o a c c o u n t that r e d u c t i o n , I f i n d t h a t c l a i m a n t is e n t i t l e d t o r e c o v e r fees f o r 4 6 . 8 h o u r s . T h e p a r t i e s a g r e e t h a t t h e a p p r o p r i a t e h o u r l y r a t e is $ 1 7 2 . 8 5 ; c o n s e q u e n t l y , c l a m a n t is e n t i t l e d t o r e c o v e r $ 8 , 0 8 9 . 3 8 i n attorney fees. CONCLUSION F o r the r e a s o n s stated above, claimant's m o t i o n (# 22) for a n a w a r d o f a t t o r n e y fees is g r a n t e d i n p a r t a n d d e n i e d i n p a r t , for a t o t a l a w a r d o f $ 8 , 0 8 9 . 3 8 . IT IS S O O R D E R E D . D A T E D t h i s 1 7 t h d a y o f September, 2009.

3-0RDER

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