Opinion ID: 2996086
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Pro Se Litigants Recovering Attorney’s Fees

Text: After determining that Krecioch is actually attempting to recover attorney’s fees, we now consider whether Krecioch, as a pro se litigant, can do so. In Kay v. Ehrler, 499 U.S. 432, 435 (1991), the Court, although the question was not before it, noted that a pro se litigant who is not a lawyer is not entitled to attorney’s fees in the context of 42 U.S.C. § 1988. In Smith v. De Bartoli, 769 F.2d 451, 453 (7th Cir. 1985), we ruled, as applied to 42 U.S.C. § 1988, that a pro se litigant who is not a lawyer is not entitled to attorney’s fees. Neither the Supreme Court nor this Court has addressed, however, whether pro se litigants may recover attorney’s fees in the context of the EAJA. In SEC v. Price Waterhouse, 41 F.3d 805, 808 (2d Cir. 1994), the Second Circuit determined that the Supreme Court’s decision in Kay v. Ehrler, 499 U.S. 432 (1991), should be applied in cases involving the EAJA. The Fifth Circuit in Hexamer v. Foreness, 997 F.2d 93, 94 (5th Cir. 1993), also determined that under the EAJA, attorney’s fees are not available to pro se litigants. The Supreme Court has noted that the Equal Access to Justice Act is the “counterpart to § 1988 for violation of federal rights by federal employees.” West Virginia Univ. Hosps., Inc. v. Casey, 499 U.S. 83, 89 (1991). In addition, the legislative history of the EAJA supports limiting the award of attorney’s fees to litigants who have No. 02-1025 7 retained an attorney. See H.R. Rep. No. 1418, 96th Cong., 2d Sess. 11, reprinted in 1980 Code Cong. & Adm. News 4984, 4988-89. “A primary purpose in enacting the EAJA, and particularly section 2412(d)(1)(A) was to remove the obstacle of litigation expenses, including attorney’s fees, so that litigants may challenge unreasonable governmental action and vindicate their rights in court.” See also Demarest v. Manspeaker, 948 F.2d 655, 656 (10th Cir. 1991). We believe that denying the availability of attorney’s fees to pro se litigants supplements the purposes of the EAJA, some of which were to encourage individuals to litigate adverse determinations and to remove the obstacles of litigation expense. A claimant who appears pro se defeats the very purposes underlying the fee-shifting provisions of this Act. Given these factors and the substantial amount of case law that has held pro se litigants cannot claim attorney’s fees, see, e.g., Celeste v. Sullivan, 988 F.2d 1069 (11 Cir. 1992); Demarest v. Manspeaker, 948 F.2d 655 (10th Cir. 1991); Naekel v. Department of Transportation, 845 F.2d 976 (Fed. Cir. 1988); Merrell v. Block, 809 F.2d 639 (9th Cir. 1987); Crooker v. EPA, 763 F.2d 16 (1st Cir. 1985), we join the other circuits in holding that attorney’s fees are not available for pro se litigants under the EAJA.