Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_15-cv-01366/USCOURTS-caed-2_15-cv-01366-4/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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Young Cho 

Attorney at Law: 189870 

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 

Attorney for plaintiff R.P., by and through her 

guardian ad litem, Tracie Perez 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

R.P. BY AND THROUGH HER 

GUARDIAN AD LITEM TRACIE 

PEREZ,, 

 Plaintiff, 

 vs. 

CAROLYN W. COLVIN, Acting 

Commissioner of Social Security, 

 Defendant. 

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Case No.: 2:15-cv-01366-AC 

STIPULATION AND PROPOSED 

ORDER 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 ALLISON CLAIRE, MAGISTRATE JUDGE OF 

THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT: 

IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED by and between the parties through their 

undersigned counsel, subject to the approval of the Court, that plaintiff, R.P., by 

and through her guardian ad litem, Tracie Perez, be awarded attorney fees in the 

amount of two thousand eight hundred dollars ($2,800.00) under the Equal Access 

Case 2:15-cv-01366-AC Document 20 Filed 02/12/16 Page 1 of 5
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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). 

 After the Court issues an order for EAJA fees to plaintiff, the government 

will consider the matter of plaintiff’s assignment of EAJA fees to Young Cho. 

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 plaintiff, but if the Department of the 

Treasury determines that plaintiff 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 

plaintiff. 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).1

 Any payments made shall be delivered 

to Young Cho. 

 

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 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. 

Case 2:15-cv-01366-AC Document 20 Filed 02/12/16 Page 2 of 5
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 This stipulation constitutes a compromise settlement of plaintiff’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 plaintiff 

and/or Young Cho 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 Young Cho 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: February 11, 2016 Respectfully submitted, 

 LAW OFFICES OF LAWRENCE D. ROHLFING 

 /s/ Young Cho 

 BY: __________________ Young Cho Attorney for plaintiff R.P., by and through her 

 guardian ad litem, Tracie Perez 

DATE: February 11, 2016 BENJAMIN B. WAGNER 

United States Attorney 

 

 /s/ Michael K. Marriott

 Michael K. Marriott Special Assistant United States Attorney Attorneys for Defendant Carolyn W. Colvin, 

 Acting Commissioner of Social Security 

 (Per e-mail authorization) 

 

Plaintiff 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. U.S. v. Kim, 797 F.3d 

696, 699 (9th Cir. 2015) holds that the Anti-Assignment Act invalidates an 

assignment but does not preclude the attorney from gaining an interest in the fees. 

Case 2:15-cv-01366-AC Document 20 Filed 02/12/16 Page 3 of 5
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ORDER 

 Approved and so ordered: 

DATE: February 11, 2016 

Case 2:15-cv-01366-AC Document 20 Filed 02/12/16 Page 4 of 5
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Case 2:15-cv-01366-AC Document 20 Filed 02/12/16 Page 5 of 5