Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_12-cv-02498/USCOURTS-caed-2_12-cv-02498-4/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Susan Biteman
Plaintiff
Commissioner of Social Security
Defendant

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SUSAN BITEMAN,

Plaintiff,

v.

CAROLYN W. COLVIN, Acting 

Commissioner of Social Security,

Defendant.

No. 2:12-cv-2498 CKD

ORDER

Based on 42 U.S.C. § 406(b), counsel for plaintiff in the above-entitled action seeks an 

award of attorney fees in the amount of $18,952.50 for 39.9 hours of professional time devoted to 

the representation of plaintiff before this court. Counsel concedes that this amount should be 

offset in the amount of $6,200 for fees previously awarded under EAJA. Defendant has filed a 

statement of non-opposition to the fee motion.

42 U.S.C. § 406(b)(1)(A) provides, in relevant part:

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.

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Case 2:12-cv-02498-CKD Document 30 Filed 09/15/15 Page 1 of 2
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Rather than being paid by the government, fees under the Social Security Act are awarded out of 

the claimant’s disability benefits. Russell v. Sullivan, 930 F.2d 1443, 1446 (9th Cir. 1991), 

receded from on other grounds, Sorenson v. Mink, 239 F.3d 1140, 1149 (9th Cir. 2001). 

However, the 25 percent statutory maximum fee is not an automatic entitlement; the court also 

must ensure that the requested fee is reasonable. Gisbrecht v. Barnhart, 535 U.S. 789, 808-09 

(2002) (“We hold that § 406(b) does not displace contingent-fee agreements within the statutory 

ceiling; instead, § 406(b) instructs courts to review for reasonableness fees yielded by those 

agreements.”). “Within the 25 percent boundary ... the attorney for the successful claimant must 

show that the fee sought is reasonable for the services rendered.” Id. at 807.

The amount of fees sought by counsel are less than the 25 percent of past due benefits 

which are provided for under the fee agreement.1 Counsel seeks fees for 39.9 hours. Based on 

the quality of counsel’s representation and the results achieved in this case, the undersigned finds 

the amount of hours expended to be reasonable. The hourly rate of $475 is also reasonable. 

Accordingly, the undersigned will award the amount of attorney fees requested.

Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that plaintiff’s counsel is awarded $18,952.50

in attorney fees pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 406, to be offset in the amount of $6,200 previously 

awarded under EAJA, for a net fee award of $12,752.50.

Dated: September 14, 2015

4 biteman2489.406.fee

 

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 The amount of past due benefits was $76,356.00; $19,089.00 represents 25% of those benefits.

_____________________________________

CAROLYN K. DELANEY

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 2:12-cv-02498-CKD Document 30 Filed 09/15/15 Page 2 of 2