02/03/201 1 14:0 5 FAX 202493514 2 FA A • > DM S @l001/00 3 

### ^""^^RTMEN T 0 1 POf^^' l -.U.S . DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATIO N ;.\.,|\E 1 G l tF.ATiUi- o FEDERA

L AVIATION AEMINISTRATIO N - J 2fV 3 ^ ^ OFFICE OF HEARING S 201 ! f[ 3 - 3 P 3 ' O

b WASHINGTON,D.c . I n th e Matter

o f Empir e Airway s 2009EA11003 9 CPlOSf^^^<^ ^ CP10EA000 2 Fbr>l S Ho . FAA-2.0( 0 Honorabl e Isaac D . Benkin 0~ I S' l AGENCY' S RESPONS E T O RESPONDENT' S NUNC PR O TUN C APPLICATIO N FO RA N AWAR D O F ATTORNEY FEE S AN D OTHE REXPENSE S PURSUANT T O TH H EQUA L ACCES S T O JUSTIC E ACT COME S NO W th e Agency , b y an d throug h it s designate d representative , th e Regiona l Counse l fo r th e Easter

n Regio n an

d hi s dul y designated agents , an

d respond s t o Respondent' s Nun c Pr o Tunc Application Fo r A n Awar d o f Attorney Fee s an

d other Expense s Pursuan

t t o th e Equa

l Acces s t o Justic e A a(Jiereinafte r "th e Application") . The Agenc y submit s tha

t th e Application must b e dismisse

d o n th e ground s tha

t i t i s untimely , T

n addition . Empir

e Airway s ("Applicant" ) i s ineligibl e fo r a n awar d becaus e i

t ha s not "prevailed " i

n th e sens e require d b

y Equa l Acces s t o Justic e Act (EAJA) . I

n addition . Empire Airway s ha s faile d t o submi

t th e financial documentatio n required b y EAJA . PROCEDURA L HISTORY 1 . On Februar

y 16 , 2010 , th e Agenc

y filed it s Complain

t in thi s matter . 2 . O n March 24 , 2010 , aNotic e o f Appearanc e o

n behalf o f Applican t wa s filed b

y Charle s J . Casolaro , Esq . (hereinafte

r Mr , Casolaro) . 3 . A t n o tim e i n thi s proceedin g did Mr . Casolar o eve r withdra w a s counsel .02/03/201 1 14:0 5 FAX 202493514 2 FA A ^ DM S @l002/00 9

4 . O n Jun e 1 , 2010 , a"Notic e o f Appearanc e an

dSubstitutio n o f

Counsel, " purportedly o n behal f o f Applicant , wa s filed b

y Gregor y S . Winton , Esq . (hereinafte r "Mr . Winton") . Ther

e wa s no indicatio n tha

t thi s substitutio n wa s consente dt o b y eithe r Applican t o r Mr . Casolaro . Th e certificat e o f servic e fo r thi s liotlc e indicatedtha

t i t wa s no t serve do n eithe

r Applican t itself or Mr . Casolaro . 5 . O n June 22 , 2010 , Mr , Wmton filed aMotion fo r Judgmen t on th e Pleadings , purportedl y o n behalf o f Applicant . 6 . On Jun e 21 , 2010 , th e Agenc y filedComplaint' s Motio n T o Withdra w Complain

t Withou t Prejudice , wherein th e Agency concededtha t i t ha dinitiatedth e cas e agains t th e wron g corporate entity , andrequeste dtha t i t b e permitte dt o withdra w th e Complain

t without prejudic e fo

r purpose s o f

initiating th e cas e agains t

th e correc t

corporate entity , 7 . O n Jun e 23 , 2010 , Administrative La w Judge' s Order

Dismissin g Proceedin g An

dCancelin g Hearin g (hereinafte

r "th e Dismissa

l Order" ) wa s issued , wherein th e Administrative La w Judg e i n thi s proceedin g (ALJ) , i

n respons e t o th e motio n tha t wa s filedb

y th e Agenc

y on June 21 , 2010 , state d"Al

l tha t I ca n do no w i s t o follo

w th e dictate o f

§13.21 5 o f

th e Procedural Rules , 1 4 C.F.R . §13,21 5 anddismis s thi s cas e with prejudice. " I n ligh t o f thi s dismissal , o n Jun e 23 , 2010 , th e AL J als o issue da

n Orde r Dismissin g Motio n fo r

Judgmen t

o n th e Pleading s "fo r

want o f jurisdiction. " Th e certificat e o f servic e fo r thes e Order s indicatedtha

t the y wer e serve do n Mr . Casolaro , bu t no t o n Mr . Wmton . There wa s n o appea l t o th e Dismissa l Order .02/03/201 1 14;0 5 FA X 202493514 2 FA A * DM S gl003/00 9

8 . O n Augus t 6 , 2010 , Mr . Wmton filedth e instan t EAJ A application , purportedly on behal f o f Applicant , I n th e Application , it wa s claime

dtha t Mr . Winton di dno

t receiv e th e Dismissa

l Orde r until Jul y 26 , 2010 . 9 . Th e sol e purporte dfinancial disclosur e wit h th e EAJA applicatio n wa s astatemen t b y Mr . Winto n tha

t "In accordanc e wit

h 1 4 C.F.I L § 14.03(b)(5) , AppUcan t i s acorporatio n wit

h a ne t wort h o f no t mor e tha n $ 7 million an

dno t mor e tha n 50 0 employee s a

t th e tim e th e adversar y adjudicatio n wa s initialed. " Ther e wa s n o accompanyin g net worth exhibit . ARGUMEN T (a ) TH E APPLICATION WAS FHE D T N AN UNTIMEL Y MANNE RAN D THEREFOR

E MUS T B E DISMISSED Under 1 4 C.F.R . §14.20 , a

n applicatio n ma

y b e filedwheneve r

th e applicant

ha s prevaile d i n th e proceeding , bu t

in n o cas e late r

tha n 3 0 day s afte

r th e FAA Decisionmaker' s final dispositio n o f

th e proceeding, " Under 1 4 C.F.R . §14.20(c ) (3) , "fina l disposition, " for

purpose s o f thi s proceeding , mean s "Th e dat e o n which a n unappeale ddecisio n become s administrativel y final." Unde r

1 4 C.F,R , § 14.233(a) . apart y ha s 1 0 day s afte

r servic e o f

awritte n initia

l decisio n t o file a n appeal . I

n thi s case , th e Dismissa

l Orde r wa s issue do n Jun e 23 , 2010 , an dsinc e th e decisio n was not

appealed , th e final dispositio n o f th e cas e wa s 1 0 day s later , o r o n Tuesday , Jul y 6 , 2010. ' Thus , Applican t wa s require dt o submit

th e EAJ A applicatio n 3 0 day s later , o r b y Augus t 5 , 2010 . Applicant

di dno t submit th e applicatio n unti l Augus t 6 , 2010 . Therefore , it was untimely .

' Th e 10'* ' da

y afte r Jun e 2 3 wa s Jul y 3 , which fel l on aSaturday , Jul

y 4 * fel l on Sunda

y an dJul y 5 * wa s aFederal holiday . Thus , th e actua l deadlin e for

filing a n appeal wa s luesday , Jul y 6 , 2010 . 302/03/201 1 14:0 G FA X 202493514 2 FA A* DM S gl004/00 9

Givin g aresponden t

th e right t o file a n EAJ A applicatio n is , i

n effect , awaiver

o f sovereig n immunit

y that "mus t b e strictl y construe di

n favor o f th e sovereign " an d"no t

enlarge d beyon dwhat

th e statut e requires. " Escoba r v . U.S . I.N.S. , 93 5 F.2d65 0 {4 ^ Q\T . 1991) . I n ligh t o f thi s principle , th e court s hav e consistentl y hel dtha t th e EAJA' s 30-day tim e limi t i s jurisdictional an dma

y no t b e waived ; MonarkBoa r Co . \> . NLRB , 70 8 F.2 d132 2 (S'^ ' Cir . 1983) . Accordingly , th e National Transportatio n Safet y Boar ddismisse da

n EAJ A applicatio n tha

t wa s filedon e da

y pas t th e 30-da y deadline , Steven D . HoUorwa y v . Admimsiraior , Federa l Aviatio n Administration , Docke t

137-EAJA-SE-11543 . Similar , th e EAJ A applicatio n i n thi s case , althoug h filedonly day late , shoul db e dismissed . I n th e Application , i t

i s claime dthat

th e applicatio n shoul db e accepte da s timel y becaus e "...b y n o faul

t o f Responden t

o r it s counsel , Mr . Winton' s nam e wa s never

adde dt o th e judge' s servic e list . Accordingly , thi s applicatio n i s timely mad e a s if th e law judge' s Orde r

wa s serve d upo n Mr . Winto n o n Jul y 26 , 2010 , when h e first receive dacop y vi afacsimil e andemail. " Whil e th e ALJ , however , ma

y no t hav e hadth e Dismissa

l Orde r serve do n Mr . Winto n o n Jun e 23 , 2010 , h e di dhav e th e Dismissa l Orde r serve do n Applicant' s attorne y o f recor da t th e time , Mr . Casolaro. ^ Unde r 1 4 CF R13.204(b) , "A n attorne y o r representativ e wh o represent s apart y ma y file a notic e o f appearanc e i

n th e action.. . an

dshal l serv e acop y o f

th e notic e o f

appearanc e o n eac h party.,.befor e participatin g i n an y proceedin g governe db

y thi s subpart. " Mr . Winton' s "Notic e o f Appearanc e andSubstitutio n o f Counsel " filedon Jun e 1 , 201 0 di dno t constitut e avali dnotic e

" A s indicate dabove , Mr . Casolar o initiall y filed anotic e o f

appearanc e i

n Februar y 201 0 an d never withdre w hi s appearance . 402/03/201 1 14:0 G FA X 202493514 2 FA A * DM S gl005/00 9

o f appearanc e becaus e it

wa s not serve don either

Applicant

itsel f o r it s counse l o f

recor da t th e time , Mr . Casolaro , an dthu s wa s no t "serve don eac h party " a s required . Thus , Mr . Casolar o remaine dth e legitimat e counse l o f recor dfo

r Applican t unti l th e tim e th e Dismissa l Orde r wa s issued . Mr . Casolar o wa s serve dwit h th e Dismissa

l Orde r in atimel y manner , an

dther e i s n o goo dcaus e for

th e dela y i n submittin g th e EAJ A application . Th e Agenc y ma y hav e bee n mistake n i

n respondin g t o motion s purportedl y filedby Mr , Winto n an dth e AL J ma y hav e bee n mistake n i

n rulin g o n thes e motions , but tha t doe s no t negat e th e fact

tha t Mr . Casolar o properl y filedanotic e o f

appearanc e an dneve

r withdre w it ; that

th e notic e o f

appearanc e tha

t wa s purportedl y filedb y Mr . Winto n was no t serve do n Applican t

o r it s counse l andwa s therefore improper ; an dtha t

th e AL J continue dt o apparentl y regar dMr . Casolar o a s th e representativ e o f Applicant becaus e th e ALJ continue dt o serv e Mr . Casolar o wit h al l hi s papers , includin g th e Dismissa l Order . Ai

l thes e fact s suppor

t th e conclusio n that

Mr . Casolar o remaine dth e representativ e o f

Applicant , andtha t

Applicant

wa s thu s properl y serve dwit h th e dismissa

l orde r o f Jun e 23 , 201 0 andsubmissio n o f th e EAJ A applicatio n 4 1 day s late r wa s untimely . (b ) APPLICAN T HA S NO T PREVAILED I N THI S PROCEEDIN G I N TH H SENS E REOUTREDBYEAJ A Unde r 1 4 C.F.R , §14.20 , a

n applicatio n ma

y b e filedonly whe n th e applicant ha s "prevailed " i

n th e proceeding . I n th e Application , i t i s correctl y state dtha

t th e U.S . Cour

t o f Appeal s for

th e Distric t

o f Columbi aCircuit , base dupo n th e Suprem e Court decisio n i

n Buckharmo n Boar dan dCar e Home , Inc . v . Wes t Virgini aDepartmen t

o f Healt h an dHuma n Resources , 53 2 U.S . 59 8 (2001) , ha s distille datliree-par t for determinin g whethe r

a n HAJ A02/03/201 1 14:0 G FA X 202493514 2 FA A * DM S 121006/00 9

applicant ha s prevailed : (1 ) ther e mus t b e acourt-ordere dchang e in th e lega l relationship o f

th e parties ; (2 ) th e judgment mus t b e i n favor

o f th e part y seekin g fees ; an d(3 ) th e judicial pronouncemen t

mus t b e accompanie db

y judicial relie f

Turne r an dCoona n v . N.T.S.B. , 60 8 F . 3 d12 ; 201 0 U.S . App . LEXIS 1164 8 (D.C , Cir . 2010) , Wha t Applicant

doe s no t mention , however , i s tha t th e Court

i n Turne r

an dCoonan , i

n finding tha t

th e three-pron g tes t

hadno t been met , emphasize dth e fac t that i t was th e FAA that unilaterall y acte dt o en dth e adversarial relationship betwee n th e parties , leavin g the mwhere they were before th e complain t wa s filed, andthat

th e dismissa

l o f th e case s wa s "jus t

a n administrativ e housekeepin g measure , no t afor mo f relief , becaus e th e FA

A di dno t nee dth e ALJ' s permissio n t o withdraw acomplaint. " Id . A s such , th e judgmen t wa s no t i n favo r o f th e part y seekin g th e fee s (i.e. . Applicant) , but

was merel y a

n officia l stam p o f approval o n th e Agency' s withdrawal o f th e case . Andth e ALJ , i

n issuin g th e Dismissa

l Order , di dno t

gran t an y relie f t o Complainan

t but was merel y carryin g out

wha t th e Agenc y sought ; adismissa l o f th e case . Unde r 1 4 C.F.R . §13.215 , "A t

an y tim e befor

e o r durin g ahearing , a

n agenc y attorne y ma

y withdraw acomplain t

o r apart y ma y withdraw areques t

fo r ahearin g withou t

th e consent

o f th e administrativ e la

w judge . I f

a n agenc y attorne y withdraw s th e complaint o r apart y withdraw s th e reques t for ahearin g an dth e answer , th e administrativ e la w judg e shall dismis s th e proceeding s under thi s subpar

t wit h prejudice, " Throug h it s motio n on Jun e 21 , 2010 , th e Agenc y effectivel y exercise dit s discretio n - not requirin g judicia

l approval - t o withdra w th e Complaint . B y tha t

' Th e fact tha t th e Agenc y move dt o withdraw th e cas e withou t prejudic e an dth e AL

J dismisse d th e cas e wit

h prejudic e i s immaterial . A s indicate di n th e Agency' s motion , i

t sought t o withdraw th e complaint

withou t prejudic e only fo

r purpose s ofinitiatin g actio n agains t adiflcrcni corporat e02/03/201 1 14:0 8 FA X 202493514 2 FAA * DM S 0007/00 9

actio n alone , th e Agenc y effectivel y ende dit s adversaria

l relationshi p wit

h th e Applicant. . A s indicate db

y th e AL J i n th e Dismissa

l Order , h e hadn o choic e a

t tha t poin t bu t t o dismis s th e case . Thus , th e ALJ' s dismissa l o f thi s cas e wa s jus t

a n "administrativ e housekeepin g measure, " a s i n Turner an dCoonan , an dshoul dno t b e deeme dt o mea

n tha t Applican t

ha s "prev^led " i

n thi s cas e unde r

EAJA . (c ) APPLICAN T HA S FAILE D T O SUBMI T TH E REQUIRE D FINANCIAL DOCUMENTATIO N Under 1 4 C.F.R . §14.11(a) , "Eac h applicant excep t aqualifie dtax-exemp t

organizatio n o r cooperativ e associatio n mus t provid e wit

h it s applicatio n adetaile dexhibi t showin g th e ne t

wort h o f th e applicant

an dan y affiliate s whe n th e proceedin g wa s initiated. " Whil e Mr . Winto n ha s signedastatemen t

attestin g tha t

Applicant

ha s ane t

wort h o f les s than $ 7 million , ther e i s no "detaile dexhibit " demonstratin g a s such , a s require db y th e EAJ A regulations . Thus , th e Applicatio n i s defectiv e andshoul db e dismisse do n that basi s alone , CONCLUSIO N Th e Applicatio n mus t

b e dismisse dbecaus e it

i s untimely ; becaus e Applican t ha s no t

entity . Wit

h respec t t o Applican t

itself , th e ALJ' s Dismissa

l Orde r wa s n o differen

t fromwha

t th e Agenc y sought ; awithdrawal o f th e complaint

an ddismissa

l o f th e case , 7- i 02/03/201 1 14:0 G FAX 202493514 2 FA A + DM S 1008/00 9



### prevailed ; an dbecaus e i t

doe s no t includ e require dfinancial documentation .

Respectfull y submitted , AlfredRJohnson , Jr . Regional Counse l By ; l^fU'W ^ Date ; ^f^// ' Zachary M . B e Attorne y Federal Aviatio n Administratio n 1 Aviatio n Plaz a Jamaica , N Y 1143 4 Telephone ; 71 8 553-325 8 Facsimile : 71 8 995-569 902/03/201 1 14:0 G FA X 202483514 2 FA A DM S i009/00 9

CERTIFICATE O F SERVICE T herdj y certif

y tha t o n thi s da y copie s o f

th e foregoing Agency' s AGENCY' S RESPONS E T O RESPONDENT' S NUN C PRO lUN C APPLICATION FO RA N AWAR D O F ATTORNE

Y KEESAN D OTHEREXPENSE S PURSUANT T O TH E EQUA L ACCES S T O JUSTIC E ACT were sen t viafiret clas s mai l an

dvi afacsimil e t o eac

h o f th e following ; Honorabl e Isaac D . Benkin Offic e o f Hearings , M-2 0 Room541 1 U.S . Department

o f Transportatio n 40 0 Sevent

h Street , S.W . Washington , D.C . 2059 0 Telefax ; (202)366-753 6 Gregor y S . Wmton , Esq . Th e Aviation Law Fir

m One Researc h Court , Suit

e 45 0 Rockville , M D 2085 0 Telefax : (301)294-252 5 Attention ; Hearin g Docke t Clerk , AGC-4 0 (vi afirst

clas s mai l only ) Federa l Aviation Administratio n 80 0 Independenc e Avenue , S.W . Ro m924 A Washington , D.C . 2059 1

Date ; SE P - 1 201 0 I Hook s Paralega l Specialis t Offic e o f Regiona l Counsel 1 Aviation Plaz a Jamaica , N Y 1143 4