Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_15-cv-00360/USCOURTS-caed-1_15-cv-00360-3/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Commissioner of Social Security
Defendant
John Allen Lovejoy
Plaintiff

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JOHN ALLEN LOVEJOY, 

Plaintiff,

v.

CAROLYN W. COLVIN, Acting 

Commissioner of Social Security,

Defendant.

_____________________________________/

Case No. 1:15-cv-00360-SKO

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

(Doc. 23)

TO THE HONORABLE Sheila K. Oberto, MAGISTRATE JUDGE OF THE UNITED 

STATES DISTRICT COURT: 

IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED by and between the parties through their undersigned 

counsel, subject to the approval of the Court, that John Allen Lovejoy be awarded attorney fees in 

the amount of three thousand four hundred dollars ($3,400.00) under the Equal Access to Justice 

Act (EAJA), 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d), and costs in the amount of four hundred dollars ($400.00) under 

28 U.S.C. § 1920. 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). 

After the Court issues an order for EAJA fees to John Allen Lovejoy, the government will 

consider the matter of John Allen Lovejoy's assignment of EAJA fees to Young Cho. The retainer 

agreement containing the assignment is attached as exhibit 1. Pursuant to Astrue v. Ratliff, 130 

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

John Allen Lovejoy

Case 1:15-cv-00360-SKO Document 23 Filed 05/09/16 Page 1 of 3
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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 John Allen Lovejoy, but if the Department of the Treasury 

determines that John Allen Lovejoy 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 John Allen Lovejoy. 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.

This stipulation constitutes a compromise settlement of John Allen Lovejoy'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 John Allen Lovejoy 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: May 2, 2016 Respectfully submitted,

 LAW OFFICES OF LAWRENCE D. ROHLFING

 

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.

Lovejoy 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. U.S. v. Kim, 

797 F.3d 696, 699 (9th Cir. 2015) holds that the Anti-Assignment Act invalidates an assignment but does not preclude 

the attorney from gaining an interest in the fees. 

Case 1:15-cv-00360-SKO Document 23 Filed 05/09/16 Page 2 of 3
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/s/ Young Cho

 BY: __________________

 Young Cho 

 Attorney for plaintiff John Allen Lovejoy

DATE: May 2, 2016 PHILLIP A. TALBERT

Acting United States Attorney

DEBORAH LEE STACHEL

Acting Chief Counsel, Region IX

U.S. Social Security Administration

/s/ Donna W. Anderson

 

 DONNA W. ANDERSON

 Special Assistant United States Attorney 

 Attorneys for Defendant Carolyn W. Colvin, 

Acting Commissioner of Social Security 

 (Per e-mail authorization)

ORDER

Pursuant to the terms of the parties’ stipulation, it is HEREBY ORDERED that Plaintiff be

awarded $3,400 in EAJA fees and costs.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: May 9, 2016 /s/ Sheila K. Oberto 

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:15-cv-00360-SKO Document 23 Filed 05/09/16 Page 3 of 3