Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-arwd-5_03-cv-05277/USCOURTS-arwd-5_03-cv-05277-1/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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AO72A

(Rev. 8/82)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

WESTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS

FAYETTEVILLE DIVISION

SARAH C. SMITH PLAINTIFF

v. Civil No. 03-5277

JO ANNE B. BARNHART, 

Commissioner, Social 

Security Administration DEFENDANT

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

Plaintiff, Sarah Smith, appealed to this Court from the denial of disability insurance

benefits (hereinafter "DIB"), and supplemental security income benefits (hereinafter “SSI”),

by the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (hereinafter "Commissioner").

On January 21, 2005, the undersigned remanded this matter to the Commissioner pursuant to

sentence six, 42 U.S.C. § 405(g), for the consideration of the additional medical evidence

submitted (Doc. #12 & 13). 

Plaintiff's attorney, David Harp, filed a Motion For An Award of Attorney Fees

Under The Equal Access to Justice Act (hereinafter the "EAJA"), on July 26, 2005 (Doc.

#14). The Commissioner responded on August 8, 2005 (Doc. #15), stating:

Plaintiff’s request for attorney fees under the EAJA is improper as there has

been no final Judgment issued in the case. ...In accordance with established

jurisprudence regarding “sentence six” remands, no final Judgment was entered

by the Court and the Court retained jurisdiction.

Section 2412(d)(1)(B) of EAJA specifically states:

A party seeking an award of fees and other expenses shall, within

thirty days of final judgment in the action, submit to the court an

application for fees and other expenses which shows that the

party is a prevailing party and is eligible to receive an award

under this subsection...

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AO72A

(Rev. 8/82)

-2-

* * *

With a sentence six remand, judgment is not entered until after post-remand

agency proceedings have been completed and their results filed with the court. 

(Doc. 15, pp. 1-2). We agree.

Sentence-six remands may be ordered in only two situations: where the Commissioner

requests a remand before answering the Complaint, or where new, material evidence is adduced

that was for good cause not presented before the agency. See § 405(g) (sentence six). See also, 

Melkonyan v. Sullivan, 501 U.S. 89, 99-100, and n. 2, 111 S.Ct. 2157, 2163-2164, and n. 2

(1991); cf. Sullivan v. Finkelstein, 496 U.S. 617, 626, 110 S.Ct. 2658, 2664, 110 L.Ed.2d 563

(1990). As has been stated, in sentence six cases, the filing period does not begin until after the

postremand proceedings are completed, the Commissioner returns to court, the court enters a

final judgment, and the appeal period runs. See Shalala v. Schaefer, 509 U.S. 292, 113 S.Ct. 2625

(1993). 

Accordingly, the plaintiff’s Motion For An Award of Attorney Fees Under The Equal

Access to Justice Act (Doc. #14), is hereby denied.

ENTERED this 3 day of October, 2005. rd

/s/ Bobby E. Shepherd 

HONORABLE BOBBY E. SHEPHERD 

 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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