Summary
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of California adopted the parties’ stipulation awarding Plaintiff Stacey Masako Hayward $8,200 in attorney’s fees and expenses under the Equal Access to Justice Act following remand of her Social Security action. The order provides that the fees are payable to Plaintiff, subject to any federal-debt offset, and may be paid directly to her counsel if no offset applies; no costs were awarded under 28 U.S.C. § 1920.
Court
United States District Court for the Eastern District of California
Jurisdiction
United States District Court for the Eastern District of California
Decision date
December 23, 2025
Docket number
2:25-cv-01606-DC-DMC
Disposition
approved
Questions Presented
- Whether the court should adopt the parties' stipulation awarding Plaintiff $8,200.00 in attorney's fees and expenses under the Equal Access to Justice Act.
- Whether costs should be awarded under 28 U.S.C. § 1920.
- How any EAJA fee payment should be made in light of potential federal-debt offsets and the assignment of fees to Plaintiff's counsel.
Holdings
- The court adopted the parties' stipulation and awarded Plaintiff $8,200.00 in attorney's fees and expenses under 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d).
- No costs were awarded under 28 U.S.C. § 1920.
- EAJA fees are payable to Plaintiff, but the government may pay Plaintiff's counsel directly if the Treasury determines that Plaintiff owes no federal debt; any assignment remains subject to an allowable federal-debt offset.
Court Document
Open PDFLoading document…