Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-3_22-cv-08017/USCOURTS-azd-3_22-cv-08017-1/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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WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Rebecca Sandoval,

Plaintiff,

v. 

Commissioner of Social Security 

Administration,

Defendant.

No. 22-CV-08017-PCT-MTL

ORDER 

Pending before the Court is Plaintiff Rebecca Sandoval’s unopposed Motion for 

Award of Attorney’s Fees Under 42 U.S.C. § 406(b). (Docs. 25, 26.) Section 406(b)(1) 

authorizes the recovery of reasonable attorney’s fees from the award of past-due benefits.

Whenever a court renders a judgment favorable to a claimant 

under this subchapter who was represented before the court by 

an attorney, the court may determine and allow as part of its 

judgment a reasonable fee for such representation, not in 

excess of 25 percent of the total of the past-due benefits to 

which the claimant is entitled by reason of such judgment, and 

the Commissioner of Social Security may, notwithstanding the 

provisions of section 405(i) of this title, but subject to 

subsection (d) of this section, certify the amount of such fee for 

payment to such attorney out of, and not in addition to, the 

amount of such past-due benefits.

42 U.S.C. § 406(b)(1)(A).

Plaintiff prevailed in her appeal to this Court from the administrative law judge’s 

decision, obtaining a remand for a new hearing. (Doc. 20.) The remand resulted in the

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Social Security Administration awarding Plaintiff $93,468.70 as past-due payments under 

disability insurance benefits. (Doc. 25-2 at 5.) The Social Security Administration withheld 

$23,467.18 from the award. (Id.) This amount, however, exceeds the statutory cap of 25 

percent of past-due benefits for attorneys’ fees. See § 406(b)(1)(A). 

Having successfully litigated this case, Plaintiff’s Counsel seeks an award of 

$23,467.18 in fees from Plaintiff’s recovery, the amount withheld from Plaintiff’s past due 

benefits. (Doc. 25-1 at 1.) Because this request exceeds the statutory maximum, the Court 

reduces the award to $23,367.18, which is exactly 25 percent of Plaintiff’s past due 

benefits. The Court previously awarded Plaintiff $5,529.00 in attorney fees pursuant to the 

Equal Access to Justice Act (“EAJA”). (Doc. 23.) Plaintiff’s Counsel acknowledges that a 

§ 406(b)(1) fee award must be offset by the previously awarded EAJA attorney fee. (See

Doc. 25-1 at 2.)

The Court finds that the representation agreement between Plaintiff and her Counsel 

represents a lawful contingency fee agreement. See Gisbrecht v. Barnhart, 535 U.S. 789, 

793 (2002). In that agreement, Plaintiff agreed to pay 25 percent of all past-due benefits. 

(Doc. 25-2 at 3.) Counsel spent 45.25 hours resolving this case. (Doc. 25-2 at 1-2.) The

Court further finds that the hourly rate of $516.40 for work performed before the District 

Court is a reasonable hourly rate considering the type of work, Counsel’s experience, and 

the contingency nature of the fee agreement. The Court finds that the hours expended by 

Counsel at the District Court are reasonable. Finally, the Court finds that the aboveadjusted requested fee award meets the statutory cap of 25 percent of the total past-due 

benefits.

Accordingly,

IT IS ORDERED that the Motion (Doc. 25) is GRANTED. Plaintiff’s Counsel is 

awarded attorney’s fees in the amount of $23,367.18 pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 406(b)(1).

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that any additional funds withheld by the Social 

Security Administration for the payment of attorney’s fees shall be released to Plaintiff.

....

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IT IS FINALLY ORDERED that Plaintiff’s Counsel shall reimburse Plaintiff in 

the amount of $5,529.00, representing the EAJA fees previously awarded.

Dated this 17th day of January, 2025.

Case 3:22-cv-08017-MTL Document 27 Filed 01/17/25 Page 3 of 3