Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ared-3_03-cv-00205/USCOURTS-ared-3_03-cv-00205-2/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Tracy Sanders
Plaintiff
Social Security Administration
Defendant

Document Text:

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS

JONESBORO DIVISION

TRACY SANDERS PLAINTIFF

v. NO. 3:03cv205 JTR

JO ANNE B. BARNHART,

Commissioner, Social 

Security Administration DEFENDANT

ORDER

Pending before the Court is Plaintiff’s Motion for an Award of Attorney’s Fees and Other

Expenses Under the Provisions of the Equal Access to Justice Act (“EAJA”) and supporting

Memorandum (docket entry #19). Defendant has filed a Response (docket entry #20). For the

reasons set forth herein, the Motion will be granted. 

On July 7, 2003, Plaintiff filed this action challenging the decision of an Administrative Law

Judge (“ALJ”) denying her social security benefits (docket entry #2). On March 16, 2006, the Court

entered an Order and Judgment (docket entries #17 and #18) remanding the case to the ALJ pursuant

to sentence four of 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) and Buckner v. Apfel, 213 F.3d 1006, 1010-11 (8th Cir. 2000).

On May 16, 2006, Plaintiff’s attorney, Mr. Anthony W. Bartels, filed a Motion for an Award

of Attorney’s Fees and Other Expenses Under the Provisions of the EAJA. In this Motion,

Mr. Bartels seeks payment for 9.90 hours of work performed by an attorney, 6.25 hours of work

performed by a paralegal, and reimbursement for $13.95 in expenses. Pursuant to an agreement

between The Bartels Law Firm and the Office of General Counsel of the Social Security

Administration (docket entry #19, attachment), Mr. Bartels seeks payment for attorney time as

follows: (1) 1.50 hours of work performed during 2003 at the adjusted hourly rate of $147.00; (2)

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.20 hours of work performed during 2004 at the adjusted hourly rate of $152.00; and (3) 8.20 hours

of work performed during 2005 and 2006 at the adjusted hourly rate of $156.00. Mr. Bartels seeks

payment for 6.25 hours of paralegal time at the rate of $65 an hour and $13.95 in expenses.

Defendant does not object to the requested amounts for attorney’s fees and expenses. 

Under these circumstances, the Court concludes that Plaintiff is entitled to an award of fees

and expenses under the EAJA, and that the amount requested by Plaintiff’s attorney is reasonable.

Accordingly, Plaintiff’s attorney shall receive a total award of $1,950.30, which includes: (1) 1.50

hours of attorney time at the rate of $147.00 per hour ($220.50); (2) .20 hours of attorney time at the

rate of $152.00 per hour ($30.40); (3) 8.20 hours of attorney time at the rate of $156.00 per hour

($1,279.20); (4) $406.25 in paralegal fees; and (5) $13.95 in expenses.

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that Plaintiff’s Motion for an Award of Attorney’s Fees

Pursuant to the Equal Access to Justice Act (docket entry #19) is hereby GRANTED.

 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Commissioner shall certify and pay to Mr. Anthony W.

Bartels, attorney for Plaintiff, $1,950.30, which has been awarded as fees and expenses pursuant to

the EAJA. 

DATED this 20th day of July, 2006. 

 

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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