Janna Lee Cassidy v. Frank J. Bisignano, Commissioner of Social Security

Summary

The United States District Court for the Eastern District of California granted the parties’ stipulated motion for attorney’s fees under the Equal Access to Justice Act. The court awarded $6,500 in fees and expenses to the plaintiff following a sentence-four remand in a Social Security case, subject to any applicable Treasury Offset Program deductions.

Holdings

1. A party who obtains a sentence-four remand under 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) is a prevailing party eligible to seek an EAJA fee award.
2. The EAJA award was appropriate because the government did not show that its position was substantially justified and the court found no special circumstances making the award unjust.
3. The court approved an award of $6,500 in attorney fees and expenses, payable to Plaintiff as the prevailing party and subject to applicable Treasury Offset Program requirements.

Questions Presented

1. Whether Plaintiff was a prevailing party entitled to attorney fees and expenses under the Equal Access to Justice Act after a sentence-four remand.
2. Whether the government established that its position was substantially justified or that special circumstances made an EAJA award unjust.
3. Whether the stipulated amount of $6,500 in attorney fees and expenses was appropriate and subject to Treasury Offset Program requirements.

Disposition

other