Potts v. Social Security Administration, No. 6:2016cv00261 - Document 24 (E.D. Okla. 2017)

Court Description: OPINION AND ORDER Awarding Attorney's Fees to the Plaintiff Under the EAJA by Magistrate Judge Steven P. Shreder GRANTING in part 22 Motion for Attorney Fees by Ray D. Potts. (ndd, Deputy Clerk)

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Potts v. Social Security Administration Doc. 24 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF OKLAHOMA RAY D. POTTS, Plaintiff, v. NANCY BERRYHILL, Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, Defendant. ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) Case No. CIV-16-261-SPS OPINION AND ORDER AWARDING ATTORNEY’S FEES TO THE PLAINTIFF UNDER THE EAJA Plaintiff Ray D. Potts 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 $6,582.60 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. 22. The Commissioner subsequently filed a response, indicating that the parties had agreed to an award of attorney’s fees in the amount of $6,200.00, a reduction of $382.60 from the original fee request. Additionally, the Commissioner stated that there is no objection to the request for $400.00 in costs. See Docket No. 23. Upon review of the record herein, the Court finds that the agreed amount 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 than the Dockets.Justia.com 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 Application for Award of Attorney’s Fees Pursuant to the Equal Access to Justice Act 28 U.S.C. § 2412 [Docket No. 22] is hereby GRANTED IN PART, to the extent that the Government is hereby ordered to pay the agreed-upon $6,200.00 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 23rd day of October, 2017. -2-

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