Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_15-cv-01967/USCOURTS-cand-3_15-cv-01967-3/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Nancy A. Berryhill
Defendant
John F. Walters
Plaintiff

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JOHN F. WALTERS,

Plaintiff,

v.

NANCY A. BERRYHILL,

Defendant.

Case No. 15-cv-01967-EMC 

ORDER GRANTING MOTION FOR 

ATTORNEY’S FEES

Docket No. 21

The Court has reviewed Mr. LaPorte’s fee motion and the government’s response thereto, 

as well as a declaration from Mr. Laporte’s client, Mr. Walters, supporting the fee motion. The 

Court finds that the fee request is reasonable. There is no indication that Mr. LaPorte engaged in 

any unnecessary delay. Also, the effective hourly rate of $393 (i.e., $15,134.71 ÷ 38.5 hours) is 

less than Mr. LaPorte’s asserted $450 noncontingent rate. Finally, the Court notes that the 

effective hourly rate is roughly comparable to that awarded to Mr. Laporte in another Social 

Security decision. See Speciale v. Berryhill, No. 16-cv-01659-BLF, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 

53327, at *5 (N.D. Cal. Mar. 28, 2019) (taking note that, “based on Counsel’s representation that 

he spent 32.5 hours on the case, a fee award in the amount requested would result in an effective 

hourly rate of approximately $335”).

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Case 3:15-cv-01967-EMC Document 25 Filed 07/26/19 Page 1 of 2
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

Accordingly, the fee motion is hereby GRANTED. Mr. LaPorte is awarded $15,134.71 in 

fees. Mr. LaPorte shall promptly reimburse the EAJA award ($7,300) to Mr. Walters.

This order disposes of Docket No. 21.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: July 26, 2019

______________________________________

EDWARD M. CHEN

United States District Judge

Case 3:15-cv-01967-EMC Document 25 Filed 07/26/19 Page 2 of 2