Weeks v. Social Security Administration, No. 6:2016cv00188 - Document 23 (E.D. Okla. 2018)

Court Description: AMENDED OPINION AND ORDER Awarding Attorney's Fees to the Plaintiff Under the EAJA by Magistrate Judge Steven P. Shreder DENYING AS MOOT 20 Motion for Attorney Fees, and GRANTING 21 Stipulation for Award of Attorney Fees. (ndd, Deputy Clerk)

Download PDF
Weeks v. Social Security Administration Doc. 23 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF OKLAHOMA MEGAN BROOKE WEEKS, Plaintiff, v. NANCY A. BERRYHILL, Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration,1 Defendant. ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) Case No. CIV-16-188-SPS AMENDED OPINION AND ORDER AWARDING ATTORNEY’S FEES TO THE PLAINTIFF UNDER THE EAJA Plaintiff Megan Brooke Weeks was the prevailing party in this action under the Social Security Act. Plaintiff originally sought an award of attorney’s fees in the amount of $4,578.70 and costs in the amount of $400.00, pursuant to the Equal Access to Justice Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d). See Docket No. 20. The Commissioner subsequently filed a stipulation, indicating that the parties had agreed to an award of attorney’s fees in the amount of $4,200.00, as well as the requested $400.00 in costs. See Docket No. 21. Upon review of the record herein, the Court finds that the agreed amount of fees and costs is reasonable and that the Commissioner should be ordered to pay it to the Plaintiff as the prevailing party herein. See 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d)(1)(A) (“Except as otherwise specifically provided by statute, a court shall award to a prevailing party other 1 On January 23, 2017, Nancy A. Berryhill became the Acting Commissioner of Social Security. In accordance with Fed. R. Civ. P. 25(d), Ms. Berryhill is substituted for Carolyn Colvin as the Defendant in this action. Dockets.Justia.com than the United States fees and other expenses, in addition to any costs awarded pursuant to subsection (a), incurred by that party in any civil action (other than cases sounding in tort)[.]”); see also Manning v. Astrue, 510 F.3d 1246, 1251 (10th Cir. 2007) (“The EAJA therefore permits attorney’s fees reimbursement to financially eligible prevailing parties, who make a proper application, and not to their attorneys.”). Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that the Plaintiff’s Motion and Brief in Support for an Award of for Attorney’s Fees Under the Equal Access to Justice Act 28 U.S.C. § 2412 [Docket No. 20] is hereby DENIED as moot, and the Commissioner’s Stipulation for Award of Attorney Fees Pursuant to the Equal Access to Justice Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2412 [Docket No. 21] is hereby GRANTED, to the extent that the Government is hereby ordered to pay the agreed-upon $4,200.00 fee award and $400.00 in costs to the Plaintiff as the prevailing party herein. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that if the Plaintiff’s attorney is subsequently awarded any fees pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 406(b)(1), said attorney shall refund the smaller amount of such fees to the Plaintiff pursuant to Weakley v. Bowen, 803 F.2d 575, 580 (10th Cir. 1986). DATED this 17th day of January, 2018. -2-

Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.