Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_13-cv-02021/USCOURTS-caed-1_13-cv-02021-5/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 864
Nature of Suit: Social Security - SSID Title XVI
Cause of Action: 42:205 Denial Social Security Benefits

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Monica Perales

Attorney at Law: 297739

Law Offices of Lawrence D. Rohlfing

12631 East Imperial Highway, Suite C-115

Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670

Tel.: (562)868-5886

Fax: (562)868-8868

E-mail: rohlfing.office@rohlfinglaw.com

Attorneys for Plaintiff

Max Sheldon Margulis

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

MAX SHELDON MARGULIS,

Plaintiff,

vs.

CAROLYN W. COLVIN, Acting

Commissioner of Social Security,

Defendant.

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Case No.: 1:13-cv-02021-SKO

STIPULATION FOR THE AWARD 

AND PAYMENT OF ATTORNEY 

FEES AND EXPENSES PURSUANT 

TO THE EQUAL ACCESS TO 

JUSTICE ACT, 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d)

AND COSTS PURSUANT TO 28 

U.S.C. § 1920

TO THE HONORABLE SHEILA K. OBERTO, MAGISTRATE JUDGE 

OF THE DISTRICT COURT:

IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED by and between the parties through their 

undersigned counsel, subject to the approval of the Court, that Max Sheldon 

Margulis be awarded attorney fees and expenses in the amount of six thousand 

nine hundred dollars ($6,900.00) under the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA), 

28 U.S.C. § 2412(d). This amount represents compensation for all legal services 

rendered on behalf of Plaintiff by counsel in connection with this civil action, in 

accordance with 28 U.S.C. §§ 1920; 2412(d).

Case 1:13-cv-02021-SKO Document 30 Filed 08/21/15 Page 1 of 4
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After the Court issues an order for EAJA fees to Max Sheldon Margulis, the 

government will consider the matter of Max Sheldon Margulis's assignment of 

EAJA fees to Monica Perales. The retainer agreement containing the assignment is 

attached as exhibit 1. Pursuant to Astrue v. Ratliff, 130 S.Ct. 2521, 2529 (2010), 

the ability to honor the assignment will depend on whether the fees are subject to 

any offset allowed under the United States Department of the Treasury's Offset 

Program. After the order for EAJA fees is entered, the government will determine 

whether they are subject to any offset.

Fees shall be made payable to Max Sheldon Margulis, but if the Department 

of the Treasury determines that Max Sheldon Margulis does not owe a federal 

debt, then the government shall cause the payment of fees, expenses and costs to 

be made directly to Law Offices of Lawrence D. Rohlfing, pursuant to the 

assignment executed by Max Sheldon Margulis. United States v. $186,416.00, 722 

F.3d 1173, 1176 (9th Cir. 2013) ($186,416.00 II) (ordering fees paid to counsel 

because of an assignment that did not interfere with a raised superior lien).

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 Any 

payments made shall be delivered to Monica Perales.

 1 The Commissioner does not stipulate to the citation of $186,416.00 II, and will 

not participate in representing to this Court that it carries legal import in these 

proceedings. $186,416 II involved a different statute and very different factual 

circumstances than those presented here, or in other Social Security cases. 

Because the parties have agreed to the payment of EAJA fees, and the amount, and 

to avoid motion practice solely related to Plaintiff’s citation, the Commissioner 

agrees to this stipulation. The Commissioner reserves the right to challenge the 

applicability of $186,416 II to any Social Security case, and this Stipulation should 

not be construed as a waiver of such reservation.

 Max S. Margulis contends that U.S. v. $186,416.00 in U.S. Currency, 642 F.3d 

753, 757 (9th Cir. 2011) ($186,416.00 I) held that there is no functional difference 

between the CAFRA and EAJA in terms of "ownership" of the fee.

Case 1:13-cv-02021-SKO Document 30 Filed 08/21/15 Page 2 of 4
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This stipulation constitutes a compromise settlement of Max Sheldon 

Margulis's request for EAJA attorney fees, and does not constitute an admission of 

liability on the part of Defendant under the EAJA or otherwise. Payment of the 

agreed amount shall constitute a complete release from, and bar to, any and all 

claims that Max Sheldon Margulis and/or Monica Perales including Law Offices of 

Lawrence D. Rohlfing may have relating to EAJA attorney fees in connection with 

this action. 

This award is without prejudice to the rights of Monica Perales and/or the 

Law Offices of Lawrence D. Rohlfing to seek Social Security Act attorney fees 

under 42 U.S.C. § 406(b), subject to the savings clause provisions of the EAJA.

DATE: August 18, 2015 Respectfully submitted,

 LAW OFFICES OF LAWRENCE D. ROHLFING

/s/ Monica Perales

 BY: __________________ Monica Perales Attorney for plaintiff Max Sheldon Margulis

DATED: BENJAMIN B. WAGNER

United States Attorney LEON W. WEIDMAN Chief, Civil Division

Assistant United States Attorney 

/s/ Urmila R. Taylor

 

 Urmila R. Taylor Special Assistant United States Attorney Attorneys for Defendant Carolyn W. Colvin, Acting Commissioner of Social Security (Per e-mail authorization)

Case 1:13-cv-02021-SKO Document 30 Filed 08/21/15 Page 3 of 4
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ORDER

Pursuant to the parties’ Stipulation for the Award and Payment of Equal 

Access to Justice Act Fees, Costs, and Expenses, IT IS ORDERED that fees and 

expenses in the amount of $6,900.00, as authorized by 28 U.S.C. § 2412, be 

awarded subject to the terms of the Stipulation.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: August 21, 2015 /s/ Sheila K. Oberto 

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:13-cv-02021-SKO Document 30 Filed 08/21/15 Page 4 of 4