Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_13-cv-01373/USCOURTS-caed-1_13-cv-01373-3/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Commissioner of Social Security
Defendant
Maria Hernandez
Plaintiff

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Young Cho

Attorney at Law: 189870

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

MARIA HERNANDEZ, as the heir 

and representative of the estate of 

ROBERTO HERNANDEZ

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

MARIA HERNANDEZ, as the heir and 

representative of the estate of 

ROBERTO HERNANDEZ,

Plaintiff,

vs.

CAROLYN W. COLVIN, Acting 

Commissioner of Social Security,

Defendant.

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Case No.: 1:13-cv-01373-GSA 

STIPULATION AND ORDER 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

TO THE HONORABLE GARY S. AUSTIN, 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 Maria Hernandez be 

awarded attorney fees and expenses in the amount of four thousand dollars 

($4,000.00) 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 

Case 1:13-cv-01373-GSA Document 22 Filed 06/08/15 Page 1 of 4
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Plaintiff by counsel in connection with this civil action, in accordance with 28 

U.S.C. §§ 1920; 2412(d). 

After the Court issues an order for EAJA fees to Maria Hernandez, the 

government will consider the matter of Maria Hernandez's assignment of EAJA 

fees to Young Cho. 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 Maria Hernandez, but if the Department of 

the Treasury determines that Maria Hernandez 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 Maria Hernandez. 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 Young Cho.

 

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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.

Maria Hernandez 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.

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This stipulation constitutes a compromise settlement of Maria Hernandez'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 Maria 

Hernandez and/or Young Cho 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 Young Cho 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: June 3, 2015 Respectfully submitted,

 LAW OFFICES OF LAWRENCE D. ROHLFING

/s/ Young Cho

 BY: __________________

 Young Cho 

 Attorney for plaintiff Roberto Hernandez

DATE: June 3, 2015 BENJAMIN B. WAGNER

 Acting 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)

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ORDER

Pursuant to the above stipulation between the parties, the Plaintiff shall be 

awarded attorney fees and expenses in the amount of four thousand dollars 

($4,000.00) under the Equal Access to Justice Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d). This 

award is subject to the terms of the above-referenced stipulation and payments 

shall be made pursuant to Astrue v. Ratliff, 130 S.Ct. 2521, 2529 (2010), as 

outlined above.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: June 5, 2015 /s/ Gary S. Austin 

 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:13-cv-01373-GSA Document 22 Filed 06/08/15 Page 4 of 4