Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_14-cv-02007/USCOURTS-caed-1_14-cv-02007-2/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Commissioner of Social Security
Defendant
Destiny Rose
Plaintiff

Document Text:

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

Destiny Rose

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DESTINY ROSE,

Plaintiff,

vs.

CAROLYN W. COLVIN, Acting

Commissioner of Social Security,

Defendant.

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Case No.: 1:14-cv-02007-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 Destiny Rose be 

awarded attorney fees and expenses in the amount of one thousand seven hundred

dollars ($1,700.00) under the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA), 28 U.S.C. § 

2412(d). This amount represents compensation for all legal services rendered on 

Case 1:14-cv-02007-GSA Document 18 Filed 09/29/15 Page 1 of 4
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 Destiny Rose, the 

government will consider the matter of Destiny Rose'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 Destiny Rose, but if the Department of the 

Treasury determines that Destiny Rose 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 Destiny Rose. 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.

 

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.

Destiny Rose 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 1:14-cv-02007-GSA Document 18 Filed 09/29/15 Page 2 of 4
This stipulation constitutes a compromise settlement of Destiny Rose'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 Destiny 

Rose 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: September 28, 2015 Respectfully submitted,

 LAW OFFICES OF LAWRENCE D. ROHLFING

/s/ Young Cho

 BY: __________________

 Young Cho

 Attorney for plaintiff Destiny Rose

DATE: September 28, 2015 BENJAMIN B. WAGNER

United States Attorney

/s/ Richard Rodriguez

 

 Richard Rodriguez

 Special Assistant United States Attorney 

 Attorneys for Defendant Carolyn W. Colvin, 

Acting Commissioner of Social Security 

 (Per e-mail authorization)

Case 1:14-cv-02007-GSA Document 18 Filed 09/29/15 Page 3 of 4
ORDER

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

awarded attorney fees and expenses in the amount of one thousand seven hundred 

dollars ($1,700.00) 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: September 29, 2015 /s/ Gary S. Austin 

 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:14-cv-02007-GSA Document 18 Filed 09/29/15 Page 4 of 4