Sabriye v. O'Malley

U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota

Sabriye v. O'Malley

Trial Court Opinion

                UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT                             
                    DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA                                


Maryan S.                             Case No. 22-cv-767 (TNL)           

     Plaintiff,                                                          

v.                                          ORDER                        

Martin O’Malley,                                                         
Commissioner of Social Security,                                         

     Defendant.                                                          


Jyotsna Asha Sharma and Paul McGrath, Disability Partners, PLLC, 2579 Hamline 
Avenue  North,  Suite  C,  Roseville,  Minnesota  55113;  and  Mahesha  Padmanabhan 
Subbaraman,  Subbaraman  PLLC,  222  South  9th  Street,  Suite  1600  Minneapolis, 
Minnesota 55402 (for Plaintiff); and                                     

Ana H. Voss, Assistant United States Attorney, United States Attorney’s Office, 300 
South  4th  Street,  Suite  600,  Minneapolis,  Minnesota  55415;  Elvi  Jenkins,  Special 
Assistant United States Attorney, 1301 Young Street, Suite 350, Mailroom 104, Dallas 
TX 75202; and James D. Sides and Michael Moss, Social Security Administration, 
Office of the General Counsel, Office of Program Litigation, Office 4, 6401 Security 
Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21235 (for Defendant).                    


    This matter comes before the Court on Plaintiff Maryan S.’s Motion for an Award 
of Attorney’s Fees Under the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA), ECF No. 49, regarding 
fees and costs under EAJA, 
28 U.S.C. § 2412
(d).                           
    Plaintiff requested an award of $28,810.47 in attorney fees. ECF No. 49 at 5. The 
Court ordered Defendant Martin O’Malley to respond to Plaintiff’s request. ECF No. 51. 
In response, the parties filed a joint stipulation and have agreed that Plaintiff be awarded 
fees and costs under EAJA in the amount of $27,000.  ECF No. 59 at 1. Accordingly, 
pursuant to the parties’ agreement, the Court awards $27,000 in fees and costs under EAJA. 
The parties do not say in their stipulation to whom the fees should be paid. Under Astrue 

v. Ratliff, 
560 U.S. 586
 (2010), any award belongs to the plaintiff and not counsel. 
    Based on the foregoing, and all of the files, records, and proceedings herein, IT IS 
HEREBY ORDERED that:                                                      
    1.  Plaintiff’s Motion for an Award of Attorney’s Fees Under the Equal Access to 
      Justice Act (EAJA), ECF No. 49 is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN    
      PART.                                                              

    2.  Plaintiff’s Motion is granted in part as follows:                

         a.  Plaintiff is awarded $27,000 in fees and costs under EAJA.  

         b.  Any EAJA fees shall be paid to Plaintiff as the litigant pursuant to 
           Ratliff.                                                      

    3.  Plaintiff’s Motion is otherwise denied.                          

    4.  The parties’ Stipulation, ECF No. 59, is ADOPTED.                





Date: November 15, 2024            /s/ Tony N. Leung___________           
                                  Tony N. Leung                          
                                  United States Magistrate Judge         
                                  District of Minnesota                  


                                  Maryan S. v. O’Malley                  
                                  Case No. 22-cv-767 (TNL)               

Trial Court Opinion

                UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT                             
                    DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA                                


Maryan S.                             Case No. 22-cv-767 (TNL)           

     Plaintiff,                                                          

v.                                          ORDER                        

Martin O’Malley,                                                         
Commissioner of Social Security,                                         

     Defendant.                                                          


Jyotsna Asha Sharma and Paul McGrath, Disability Partners, PLLC, 2579 Hamline 
Avenue  North,  Suite  C,  Roseville,  Minnesota  55113;  and  Mahesha  Padmanabhan 
Subbaraman,  Subbaraman  PLLC,  222  South  9th  Street,  Suite  1600  Minneapolis, 
Minnesota 55402 (for Plaintiff); and                                     

Ana H. Voss, Assistant United States Attorney, United States Attorney’s Office, 300 
South  4th  Street,  Suite  600,  Minneapolis,  Minnesota  55415;  Elvi  Jenkins,  Special 
Assistant United States Attorney, 1301 Young Street, Suite 350, Mailroom 104, Dallas 
TX 75202; and James D. Sides and Michael Moss, Social Security Administration, 
Office of the General Counsel, Office of Program Litigation, Office 4, 6401 Security 
Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21235 (for Defendant).                    


    This matter comes before the Court on Plaintiff Maryan S.’s Motion for an Award 
of Attorney’s Fees Under the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA), ECF No. 49, regarding 
fees and costs under EAJA, 
28 U.S.C. § 2412
(d).                           
    Plaintiff requested an award of $28,810.47 in attorney fees. ECF No. 49 at 5. The 
Court ordered Defendant Martin O’Malley to respond to Plaintiff’s request. ECF No. 51. 
In response, the parties filed a joint stipulation and have agreed that Plaintiff be awarded 
fees and costs under EAJA in the amount of $27,000.  ECF No. 59 at 1. Accordingly, 
pursuant to the parties’ agreement, the Court awards $27,000 in fees and costs under EAJA. 
The parties do not say in their stipulation to whom the fees should be paid. Under Astrue 

v. Ratliff, 
560 U.S. 586
 (2010), any award belongs to the plaintiff and not counsel. 
    Based on the foregoing, and all of the files, records, and proceedings herein, IT IS 
HEREBY ORDERED that:                                                      
    1.  Plaintiff’s Motion for an Award of Attorney’s Fees Under the Equal Access to 
      Justice Act (EAJA), ECF No. 49 is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN    
      PART.                                                              

    2.  Plaintiff’s Motion is granted in part as follows:                

         a.  Plaintiff is awarded $27,000 in fees and costs under EAJA.  

         b.  Any EAJA fees shall be paid to Plaintiff as the litigant pursuant to 
           Ratliff.                                                      

    3.  Plaintiff’s Motion is otherwise denied.                          

    4.  The parties’ Stipulation, ECF No. 59, is ADOPTED.                





Date: November 15, 2024            /s/ Tony N. Leung___________           
                                  Tony N. Leung                          
                                  United States Magistrate Judge         
                                  District of Minnesota                  


                                  Maryan S. v. O’Malley                  
                                  Case No. 22-cv-767 (TNL)               

Reference

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