Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_14-cv-01709/USCOURTS-caed-1_14-cv-01709-3/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Commissioner of Social Security
Defendant
John L. Gipson
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

John L. Gipson

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JOHN L. GIPSON,

Plaintiff,

vs.

CAROLYN W. COLVIN, Acting

Commissioner of Social Security,

Defendant.

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Case No.: 1:14-cv-01709-EPG

STIPULATION 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; ORDER

TO THE HONORABLE ERICA P. GROSJEAN, 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 L. Gipson be 

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

dollars ($4,100.00) under the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA), 28 U.S.C. § 

Case 1:14-cv-01709-EPG Document 21 Filed 01/04/16 Page 1 of 4
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 L. Gipson, the 

government will consider the matter of John L. Gipson'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 John L. Gipson, but if the Department of the 

Treasury determines that John L. Gipson 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 L. Gipson. 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.

Case 1:14-cv-01709-EPG Document 21 Filed 01/04/16 Page 2 of 4
This stipulation constitutes a compromise settlement of John L. Gipson'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 L. 

Gipson 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: December 28, 2015 Respectfully submitted,

 LAW OFFICES OF LAWRENCE D. ROHLFING

/s/ Young Cho

 BY: __________________

 Young Cho

 Attorney for plaintiff John L. Gipson

DATE: December 28, 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)

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John Gipson 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-01709-EPG Document 21 Filed 01/04/16 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 four thousand one hundred 

dollars ($4,100.00) under the Equal Access to Justice Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d) and 

costs in the amount of four hundred dollars ($400.00) under 28 U.S.C. § 1920. 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: January 4, 2016 /s/

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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