Balthazar v. Commissioner of Social Security

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON

AT SEATTLE

MICHAEL BALTHAZAR

Plaintiff, Case No. 2:20-cv-01645-RSM vs.

COMMISSIONER OF SOCIAL SECURITY, ORDER FOR EAJA ATTORNEY FEES, COSTS AND EXPENSES

Defendant. ______________________________________

Based upon the Stipulation of the parties, the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA), 28 13 U.S.C. § 2412, and Plaintiff’s EAJA petition, it is hereby ordered that EAJA attorney’s fees of $6,542.63 shall be awarded to Plaintiff pursuant to Astrue v. Ratliff, 130 U.S. 2521 (2010). This award is based on 2.86 hours of attorney work in 2020 at a rate of $207.78 per hour, and 27.83 hours in 2021 at a rate of $213.74 per hour. No expenses or costs are awarded.

If the U.S. Department of Treasury verifies to the Office of General Counsel that Plaintiff does not owe a debt, the government will honor Plaintiff’s assignment of EAJA Fees pay EAJA fees directly to Plaintiff’s attorney, DEBRA J. VENHAUS at P.O. Box 12488, Mill Creek, WA.

DATED this 7th day of December, 2021.

A

RICARDO S. MARTINEZ

CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

ORDER FOR EAJA FEES, COSTS AND EXPENSES

Presented by: s/Debra J. Venhaus

Debra J. Venhaus, WSBA 33458

Attorney for Plaintiff

P.O. Box 12488, Mill Creek, WA 98082

Tel: 425-332-3150

Approved for Entry: s/Debra J. Venhaus (signed per authorization)

Leisa A. Wolf

Special Asst. U.S. Attorney

Attorney for Defendant

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I HEREBY CERTIFY that on December 2, 2021, I electronically filed the foregoing document with the Clerk of the Court using CM/ECF, which will send a notice of electronic filing to the following:

Leisa A. Wolf

Special Asst. U.S. Attorney

701 Fifth Ave., Suite 2900 M/S 221A

Seattle, WA 98104 s/Debra J. Venhaus ___

Debra J. Venhaus, WSBA 33458 Attorney for Plaintiff

P.O. Box 12488

Mill Creek, WA 98082

Tel: 425-332-3150; Fax: 425-332-3195 [email protected]

ORDER FOR EAJA FEES, COSTS AND EXPENSES