Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ared-3_05-cv-00187/USCOURTS-ared-3_05-cv-00187-2/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Social Security Administration
Defendant
Brandy Wilson
Plaintiff

Document Text:

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS

JONESBORO DIVISION

BRANDY WILSON PLAINTIFF

vs. Civil Case No. 3:05CV00187 HLJ

MICHAEL J. ASTRUE,

Commissioner, Social

Security Administration DEFENDANT

ORDER

Plaintiff has filed a motion for attorney’s fees and expenses

pursuant to the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA), 28 U.S.C. §

2412(d). She seeks compensation for 10.90 hours of work performed

by her attorney before the District Court in 2005 at the rate of

$156.00 per hour, .75 hour of work performed by her attorney in

2006 and 2007 at the rate of $162.00 per hour and 3.95 hours of

work by a paralegal at the rate of $75.00 per hour. She also seeks

reimbursement for expenses in the amount of $13.95. The

Commissioner does not object to the number of hours, the hourly

rates submitted by Plaintiff or the requested expenses. 

The maximum statutory rate of compensation for work performed

by an attorney set forth in § 2412(d)(2)(A)(ii) is $125.00 per

hour. The increased rates requested by Plaintiff reflect an

agreement between Plaintiff’s counsel and the Office of the General

Counsel of the Social Security Administration (Plaintiff’s Exhibit

A) to calculate attorneys’ fees on an annualized basis, using the

Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U). 

Plaintiff has also requested an increase in the hourly rate

Case 3:05-cv-00187-JTR Document 26 Filed 10/09/07 Page 1 of 2
for paralegals. Normally the court awards $65.00 per hour for work

performed by a paralegal. Plaintiff argues the hourly rate should

be $75.00 per hour based on the prevailing market rate, and she has

submitted supporting affidavits. The Secretary does not object to

this request and the court presumes this increase is also part of

the agreement between Plaintiff’s counsel and the Office of the

General Counsel. Accordingly, the court approves an award of fees

in the amount of $1456.65 and expenses in the amount of $13.95. 

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that Plaintiff is awarded attorney’s

fees and expenses in the amount of $2088.15 pursuant to EAJA. The

Commissioner is directed to certify said award and pay Plaintiff’s

attorney this amount.

SO ORDERED this 9th day of October, 2007.

 

United States Magistrate Judge

Case 3:05-cv-00187-JTR Document 26 Filed 10/09/07 Page 2 of 2