Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-alsd-1_16-cv-00198/USCOURTS-alsd-1_16-cv-00198-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 863
Nature of Suit: Social Security - DIWC/DIWW (405(g))
Cause of Action: 42:405 Review of HHS Decision (DIWC)

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA

SOUTHERN DIVISION

ANDREW BAKER, )

)

Plaintiff, )

)

vs. ) CIVIL ACTION 16-0198-CG-M

)

CAROLYN W. COLVIN, Acting 

Commissioner of Social Security,

)

)

)

Defendant. )

ORDER

After due and proper consideration of the issues raised, and there having 

been no objections filed, the Recommendation of the Magistrate Judge made under 

28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(B) and dated December 22, 2016 is adopted as the opinion of 

this Court.

It is ORDERED that the Commissioner’s December 24, 2014 final decision 

denying Plaintiff’s applications for disability benefits be REVERSED and 

REMANDED to the Commissioner under sentence four of 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) (see 

Melkonyan v. Sullivan, 501 U.S. 89 (1991)) for further proceedings consistent with 

this memorandum opinion. This remand under sentence four of § 405(g) makes 

Plaintiff a prevailing party for purposes of the Equal Access to Justice Act, 28 

U.S.C. § 2412 (see Shalala v. Schaefer, 509 U.S. 292 (1993)), and terminates this 

Court’s jurisdiction over this matter.

Should Plaintiff succeed on his applications for benefits following remand, 

under Fed. R. Civ. P. 54(d)(2)(B), the Court hereby grants Plaintiff’s counsel an 

Case 1:16-cv-00198-M Document 17 Filed 01/06/17 Page 1 of 2
extension of time in which to file a petition for authorization of attorney’s fees under 

42 U.S.C. § 406(b) until thirty-five days after the date of the notice of award of 

benefits from the SSA. See Bergen v. Comm'r of Soc. Sec., 454 F.3d 1273, 1277 (11th 

Cir. 2006) (per curiam) (“Fed. R. Civ. P. 54(d)(2) applies to a § 406(b) attorney's fee 

claim.”); Blitch v. Astrue, 261 F. App'x 241, 242 n.1 (11th Cir. 2008) (per curiam) 

(unpublished) (“In Bergen v. Comm'r of Soc. Sec., 454 F.3d 1273 (11th Cir. 2006), we 

suggested the best practice for avoiding confusion about the integration of Fed. R. 

Civ. P. 54(d)(2)(B) into the procedural framework of a fee award under 42 U.S.C. § 

406 is for a plaintiff to request and the district court to include in the remand 

judgment a statement that attorneys fees may be applied for within a specified time 

after the determination of the plaintiff's past due benefits by the Commission. 454 

F.3d at 1278 n.2.”).

Final judgment shall issue separately in accordance with this Order and Fed. 

R. Civ. P. 58.

DONE and ORDERED this 6th day of January, 2017.

/s/ Callie V. S. Granade 

SENIOR UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 1:16-cv-00198-M Document 17 Filed 01/06/17 Page 2 of 2