Opinion ID: 517698
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: introduction

Text: 5 All four cases involve appeals of attorneys fees awarded to Lloyd Hartford, an attorney in Billings, Montana, who regularly represents social security disability claimants before the Social Security Administration and the federal courts. In Straw v. Bowen, CV84-023 JFB (D.Mont., Feb. 3, 1984), and Garcia v. Bowen, CV83-301 BLG (D.Mont., Nov. 22, 1983), the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Secretary) appeals the fee awards, arguing that they are excessive; in Davis v. Bowen, CV84-034 GF (D.Mont., Feb. 3, 1984), and Pelton v. Bowen, CV85-222 PGH (D.Mont., Aug. 15, 1985), plaintiffs 1 appeal the fee awards, arguing that the hourly rate is too low. In all four cases, the only issue is the appropriate hourly rate; neither the Secretary nor plaintiffs in Davis and Pelton take issue with the district courts' determinations of the appropriate number of hours to be compensated. 6 We hereby reverse and remand in Straw, Garcia, and Davis, and affirm in Pelton.