Boudreaux v. Saul

United States District Court for the Southern District of California

Boudreaux v. Saul

Trial Court Opinion

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 9 SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 11 JOHN B., Case No.: 3:20-cv-00274-BGS

12 Plaintiff, ORDER GRANTING JOINT 13 v. STIPULATION FOR ATTORNEY’S FEES PURSUANT TO THE EQUAL 14 ANDREW SAUL, ACCESS TO JUSTICE ACT (28 15 Defendant. U.S.C. § 2412(d))

16 [ECF 23, 25] 17 18 On January 19, 2021, the parties filed a Joint Stipulation for Award of Attorney’s 19 Fees Pursuant to the Equal Access to Justice Act, stipulating to an award to Plaintiff of 20 attorneys’ fees of $4,800 pursuant to the Equal Access to Justice Act (“EAJA”), 28

21 U.S.C. § 2412

(d). (ECF 23, 25.) 22 The EAJA allows a prevailing party to seek attorney’s fees from the United States 23 within thirty days of final judgment.

28 U.S.C. § 2412

(d). “A plaintiff who obtains a 24 sentence four remand is considered a prevailing party for purposes of attorneys’ fees.” 25 Akopyan v. Barnhart,

296 F.3d 852, 854

(9th Cir. 2002) (citing Shalala v. Schaefer, 509

26 U.S. 292

, 301–02 (1993))). And, the Ninth Circuit sets statutory maximum hourly rates 27 28 1 under the EAJA, adjusted for increases in the cost of living. Thangaraja v. Gonzales, 428 2 || F.3d 870, 876-77 (9th Cir. 2005); Ninth Circuit Rule 39-1.6.! 3 Here, this case was remanded on the parties’ Joint Motion for Voluntary Remand 4 || pursuant to sentence four of

42 U.S.C. § 405

(g) on December 21, 2020, and Plaintiff's 5 ||counsel’s hourly rate is below the Ninth Circuit’s maximum hourly rates under the EAJA. 6 || (ECF 21-21 (Joint Motion and Entry of Judgment), 23 (Joint Motion for EAJA Fees), 25 7 ||(Supplement to Joint Motion with Assignment and Invoice).) Therefore, Plaintiff is the 8 || prevailing party for purposes of attorneys’ fees, the joint motion is timely, and the Court 9 || finds the stipulated amount of fees reasonable. 10 Based upon the Joint Stipulation, the Court GRANTS the parties’ Joint Motion 11 |/and awards attorney’s fees in the amount of $4,800. 12 IT IS SO ORDERED. 13 Dated: March 12, 2021 p / / on. Bernard G. Skomal 15 United States Magistrate Judge 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 || ————————___—_—_—__ 26 Statutory Maximum Rates Under the Equal Access to Justice Act, United States Courts 27 || for the Ninth Circuit, 28 https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/content/view.php?pk_id=0000000039

45

Reference

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