Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_17-cv-02496/USCOURTS-casd-3_17-cv-02496-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 864
Nature of Suit: Social Security - SSID Title XVI
Cause of Action: 42:0423 Social Security Act (Disability Insurance Benefit Payments)

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17cv2496-MMA (RNB)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SCOTT KEVIN WHEAT,

Plaintiff,

v.

NANCY A. BERRYHILL, Acting 

Commissioner of Social Security,

Defendant.

Case No.: 17cv2496-MMA (RNB)

ORDER GRANTING JOINT 

MOTION 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

[Doc. No. 20]

On December 12, 2017, Plaintiff Scott Kevin Wheat filed this social security 

appeal challenging the denial of his application for disability insurance benefits. Doc. 

No. 1. The Court referred all matters arising in this appeal to the assigned magistrate 

judge for report and recommendation pursuant to section 636(b)(1)(B) of title 28 of the 

United States Code and Civil Local Rule 72.1. 28 U.S.C. §636(b)(1)(B); S.D. Cal. Civ. 

L.R. 72.1. On August 14, 2018, the magistrate judge issued a Report recommending that 

the Court grant Plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment, deny Defendant’s cross-motion 

for summary judgment, and remand the matter to the Social Security Administration for 

further consideration. Doc. No. 17. The Court adopted the Report and Recommendation 

in its entirety and remanded this matter to the Social Security Administration for further 

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proceedings pursuant to sentence four of 42 U.S.C. § 405(g). Doc. No. 19. The parties 

now stipulate to an award to Plaintiff of attorney’s fees and expenses in the amount of 

$4,300.00 under the Equal Access to Justice Act (“EAJA”), 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d). Doc. 

No. 20 at 1.

The EAJA allows a prevailing party to seek attorney’s fees from the United States 

within thirty days of final judgment. 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d). “A sentence four remand 

becomes a final judgment, for purposes of attorneys’ fees claims brought pursuant to the 

EAJA, 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d), upon expiration of the time for appeal.” Akopyan v. 

Barnhart, 296 F.3d 852, 854 (9th Cir. 2002). If one of the parties is the United States, 

either party may file a notice of appeal within sixty days of the order appealed from. See 

Fed. R. App. 4(a)(1)(B). “A plaintiff who obtains a sentence four remand is considered a 

prevailing party for purposes of attorneys’ fees.” Akopyan, 296 F.3d at 854. Therefore, 

Plaintiff is the prevailing party in this action for purposes of attorney’s fees, the parties’ 

joint motion is timely, and the Court finds the stipulated amount of fees and expenses 

reasonable.

Accordingly, the Court GRANTS the joint motion and AWARDS Plaintiff 

attorney’s fees and expenses in the total amount of $4,300.00. Fees will be made payable 

to Scott Kevin Wheat, but if the Department of the Treasury determines that Scott Kevin 

Wheat does not owe a federal debt, then the government will 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 Scott Kevin Wheat. Any payments will be delivered to 

Monica Perales.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: December 12, 2018

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