Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_04-cv-02279/USCOURTS-cand-5_04-cv-02279-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 864
Nature of Suit: Social Security - SSID Title XVI
Cause of Action: 42:405 Review of HHS Decision (SSID)

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1

 Michael J. Astrue became Commissioner of the Social Security Administration on February

1, 2007. Pursuant to Ruled 25(d)(1) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Michael J. Astrue is hereby

substituted for Jo Anne B. Barnhart as the Defendant in this matter. 

ORDER 04-2279 RMW

TER

 

E-filed: 1/21/10 

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN JOSE DIVISION

JACK REINKE,

Plaintiff,

v.

MICHAEL J. ASTRUE1

, Commissioner, Social Security Administration,

Defendant.

No. C-04-2279 RMW

ORDER RE MOTION FOR ATTORNEY”S

FEES UNDER 42 U.S.C. §406(b)

Plaintiff filed a motion for an award of attorney's fees under 42 U.S.C. §406(b). Specifically,

plaintiff's counsel seeks an award of $8,000 in attorney's fees for successfully representing plaintiff

in obtaining an award of $83,909.50 in past-due benefits. 

The motion is based on Section 406(b) and a 25 percent contingent-fee agreement between

counsel and client. The fee agreement submitted with the motion, however, was entered into after

the completion of the case and after past-due benefits had been awarded. Although it recites that it

is a contingent fee agreement, the express terms establish that there is nothing contingent about the

agreement. Instead, it is a fixed fee agreement, after the results were known, pursuant to which the

client has agreed to pay counsel in excess of $542 per hour, so that counsel's fees would be $8,000. 

Case 5:04-cv-02279-RMW Document 19 Filed 01/21/10 Page 1 of 3
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ORDER 04-2279 RMW

TER 2

Counsel has not, however, offered any evidence to establish the terms of the attorney-client fee

agreement entered into at the outset of his representation.

Accordingly, plaintiff's counsel is directed to submit to the court a copy of the fee agreement

entered into at the outset of the case, or if none exists, then a declaration to explain the terms of the

fee agreement originally entered into between client and counsel at the outset of the case and to

explain how such an agreement differs in any material respect from the written agreement executed

on January 7, 2008 which has been submitted to the court.

Plaintiff's counsel shall file this supplemental evidence on or before January 29, 2010. 

DATE: 1/21/10 

RONALD M. WHYTE

United States District Judge

Case 5:04-cv-02279-RMW Document 19 Filed 01/21/10 Page 2 of 3
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ORDER 04-2279 RMW

TER 3

Notice of this document has been sent to:

Counsel for Plaintiff:

Terry LaPorte

terry@terrylaporte.com 

Counsel for Defendant:

Nancy Marie Lisewski 

nancy.lisewski@ssa.gov 

Sara Winslow 

sara.winslow@usdoj.gov 

Date: 1/21/10 TER

Chambers of Judge Whyte

Case 5:04-cv-02279-RMW Document 19 Filed 01/21/10 Page 3 of 3