Opinion ID: 43721
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Pease’s EAJA claim

Text: 21 U.S.C. § 853(n)(2) states: Any person, other than the defendant, asserting a legal interest in property which has been ordered forfeited to the United States pursuant to this section may, within thirty days of the final publication of notice or his receipt of notice under paragraph (1), whichever is earlier, petition the court for a hearing to adjudicate the validity of his alleged interest in the property. The hearing shall be held before the court alone, without a jury. See 21 U.S.C. § 853(n)(2)(emphasis added). In relevant part, § 2412 provides: Except as otherwise specifically provided by statute, a court shall award to a prevailing party other than the United States fees and other expenses, in addition to any costs awarded pursuant to subsection (a), incurred by that party in any civil action (other than cases sounding in tort), including proceedings for judicial review of agency action, brought by or against the United States in any court having jurisdiction of that action, unless the court finds that the position of the United States was substantially justified or that special circumstances make an award unjust. 7 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d)(1)(A) (emphasis added). While a proceeding ancillary to a criminal forfeiture prosecution—in which innocent third parties seek adjudication of the validity of their interests in the property—is a civil action, the criminal forfeiture of a defendant’s interest in property is a mandatory element of the sentencing package. See United States v. Douglas, 55 F.3d 584, 585 (11th Cir. 1995); see United States v. Gilbert, 244 F.3d 888, 924 (11th Cir. 2001). Because Pease’s petition in the ancillary proceeding had been barred by § 853(n)(2), we refused to consider his claims in Pease II. Thus, Pease lacks standing to raise in this appeal any challenge relating to the ancillary proceeding. Moreover, because § 2412(d)(1)(A) provides for payment of attorney’s fees and costs to prevailing parties in civil actions, and Pease was a defendant in the criminal action, the district court correctly concluded that he was not entitled to the fees and costs pursuant to § 2412(d).