1 2 3 4 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 5 DISTRICT OF NEVADA 6 7 ELIZABETH ANN SHAW, Case No. 2:20-cv-02296-NJK

8 Plaintiff(s), ORDER 9 v. [Docket No. 27] 10 KILOLO KIJAKAZI, 11 Defendant(s). 12 Pending before the Court is an unopposed motion for attorney’s fees pursuant to the Equal 13 Access to Justice Act (“EAJA”). Docket No. 27. Courts have an independent obligation to assess 14 the reasonableness of fees sought under the EAJA, even when there is no opposition lodged to 15 them. Douzat v. Saul,

, at *1 (D. Nev. June 11, 2020) (collecting cases). 16 Because the instant motion provides insufficient support for the fees requested, it is DENIED 17 without prejudice. 18 A renewed fee request must provide appropriate evidentiary support as to the prevailing 19 hourly rate in this community. See Nadarajah v. Holder,

(9th Cir. 2009).1 In 20 addition, the renewed request must provide meaningfully developed argument on the following:

21 (1) whether the hours expended were reasonable in light of the circumstances of this case, see Camacho v. Bridgeport Fin’l, Inc., 22

(9th Cir. 2008);

23 24

25 1 The fee applicant bears the burden of satisfying that standard through submission of “satisfactory evidence—in addition to the attorney’s own affidavits.” Blum v. Stenson,

886, 895 n.11 (1984). Courts have identified a variety of additional evidence that may suffice. See, e.g., United Steelworkers of Am. v. Phelps Dodge Corp.,

(9th Cir. 1990) 27 (indicating that potential evidence would include affidavits of other attorneys regarding prevailing fees in the community and “rate determinations in other cases, particularly those setting a rate for 28 the plaintiffs’ attorney”). (2) whether the hourly rate sought is m-line with the prevailing 1 market rate in this District for the kind and quality of services provided, see Nadarajah,

; and (3) if an upward adjustment to the EAJA’s rate cap is requested, why 3 the Court should exercise its discretion to provide such adjustment, see Sorenson v. Mink,

(9th Cir. 2001) 4 (“District courts may adjust that fee to compensate for an increase 5 in the cost of living” (emphasis added)). Any renewed request for EAJA fees must be filed by February 11, 2022. 7 IT IS SO ORDERED 8 Dated: January 24, 2022

Nancy.J. Koppe | 10 United States Magistrate Judge 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28