Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_13-cv-01643/USCOURTS-caed-1_13-cv-01643-4/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Commissioner of Social Security
Defendant
Eraide Talingo Coria
Plaintiff

Document Text:

-1-

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

Brian C. Shapiro

Attorney at Law: 192789

Law Offices of Lawrence D. Rohlfing

12631 East Imperial Highway, Suite C-115

Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670

Tel.: (562)868-5886

Fax: (562)868-8868

E-mail: rohlfing.office@rohlfinglaw.com

Attorneys for Plaintiff

Eraide Talingo Coria

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ERAIDE TALINGO CORIA,

Plaintiff,

vs.

CAROLYN W. COLVIN, Acting

Commissioner of Social Security,

Defendant.

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

Case No.: 1:13-cv-01643-SAB

STIPULATION FOR THE AWARD 

AND PAYMENT OF ATTORNEY 

FEES PURSUANT TO THE EQUAL 

ACCESS TO JUSTICE ACT, 28 U.S.C. 

§ 2412(d)

TO THE HONORABLE STANLEY A. BOONE, MAGISTRATE JUDGE 

OF THE DISTRICT COURT:

IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED by and between the parties through their 

undersigned counsel, subject to the approval of the Court, that Eraide Talingo 

Coria be awarded attorney fees in the amount of THREE THOUSAND TWO 

HUNDRED dollars ($3200) under the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA), 28 

U.S.C. § 2412(d). This amount represents compensation for all legal services 

rendered on behalf of Plaintiff by counsel in connection with this civil action, in 

accordance with 28 U.S.C. §§ 1920; 2412(d). 

Case 1:13-cv-01643-SAB Document 20 Filed 01/21/15 Page 1 of 5
-2-

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

After the Court issues an order for EAJA fees to Eraide Talingo Coria, the 

government will consider the matter of Eraide Talingo Coria's assignment of EAJA 

fees to Brian C. Shapiro. The retainer agreement containing the assignment is 

attached as exhibit 1. Pursuant to Astrue v. Ratliff, 130 S.Ct. 2521, 2529 (2010), 

the ability to honor the assignment will depend on whether the fees are subject to 

any offset allowed under the United States Department of the Treasury's Offset 

Program. After the order for EAJA fees is entered, the government will determine 

whether they are subject to any offset.

Fees shall be made payable to Eraide Talingo Coria, but if the Department 

of the Treasury determines that Eraide Talingo Coria does not owe a federal debt, 

then the government shall 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 Eraide Talingo Coria. United States v. $186,416.00, 722 F.3d 1173, 

1176 (9th Cir. 2013) ($186,416.00 II) (ordering fees paid to counsel because of an 

assignment that did not interfere with a raised superior lien).

1

 Any payments made 

shall be delivered to Brian C. Shapiro.

 

1

The Commissioner does not stipulate to the citation of $186,416.00 II, and will 

not participate in representing to this Court that it carries legal import in these 

proceedings. $186,416 II involved a different statute and very different factual 

circumstances than those presented here, or in other Social Security cases. 

Because the parties have agreed to the payment of EAJA fees, and the amount, and 

to avoid motion practice solely related to Plaintiff’s citation, the Commissioner 

agrees to this stipulation. The Commissioner reserves the right to challenge the 

applicability of $186,416 II to any Social Security case, and this Stipulation should 

not be construed as a waiver of such reservation.

Eraide Talingo Coria contends that U.S. v. $186,416.00 in U.S. Currency, 642 F.3d 

753, 757 (9th Cir. 2011) ($186,416.00 I) held that there is no functional difference 

between the CAFRA and EAJA in terms of "ownership" of the fee.

Case 1:13-cv-01643-SAB Document 20 Filed 01/21/15 Page 2 of 5
-3-

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

This stipulation constitutes a compromise settlement of Eraide Talingo 

Coria's request for EAJA attorney fees, and does not constitute an admission of 

liability on the part of Defendant under the EAJA or otherwise. Payment of the 

agreed amount shall constitute a complete release from, and bar to, any and all 

claims that Eraide Talingo Coria and/or Brian C. Shapiro including Law Offices of 

Lawrence D. Rohlfing may have relating to EAJA attorney fees in connection with 

this action. 

This award is without prejudice to the rights of Brian C. Shapiro and/or the 

Law Offices of Lawrence D. Rohlfing to seek Social Security Act attorney fees 

under 42 U.S.C. § 406(b), subject to the savings clause provisions of the EAJA.

DATE: January 15, 2015 Respectfully submitted,

 LAW OFFICES OF LAWRENCE D. ROHLFING

/s/ Brian C. Shapiro

 BY: __________________

 Brian C. Shapiro

 Attorney for plaintiff Eraide Talingo Coria

DATED: January 15, 2015 

BENJAMIN B. WAGNER

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

/s/ Theophous H. Reagans

 

 Theophous H. Reagans

 Special Assistant United States Attorney 

 Attorneys for Defendant Carolyn W. Colvin, 

Acting Commissioner of Social Security 

 (Per e-mail authorization)

Case 1:13-cv-01643-SAB Document 20 Filed 01/21/15 Page 3 of 5
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

ORDER

IT IS ORDERED that fees and expenses in the amount of $3,200 as 

authorized by 28 U.S.C. § 2412 be awarded subject to the terms of the Stipulation.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: January 21, 2015 

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:13-cv-01643-SAB Document 20 Filed 01/21/15 Page 4 of 5
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

FOR CASE NUMBER 1:13-CV-01643-SAB

I hereby certify that I electronically filed the foregoing with the Clerk of the 

Court for this court by using the CM/ECF system on January 20, 2015.

I certify that all participants in the case are registered CM/ECF users and 

that service will be accomplished by the CM/ECF system, except the plaintiff 

served herewith by mail.

/s/ Brian C. Shapiro

_______________________________

Brian C. Shapiro

Attorneys for Plaintiff

Case 1:13-cv-01643-SAB Document 20 Filed 01/21/15 Page 5 of 5