Opinion ID: 553863
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Statutory Framework of the EAJA

Text: 7 On October 1, 1981, Congress enacted the EAJA with the broad purpose of awarding private litigants the expenses of seeking review of or defending against unreasonable government action. See H.R.Rep. No. 1418, 96th Cong., 2d Sess. 5-6 (1980), reprinted in 1980 U.S.Code Cong. & Admin.News 4953, 4984. As Congress stated, The purpose of this bill is to reduce the [financial] deterrents [of seeking review of governmental action] by entitling certain prevailing parties to recover an award of attorney fees, expert witness fees, and other expenses against the United States. H.R.Rep. No. 96-1418, 96th Cong., 2d Sess. at 6, reprinted in 1980 U.S.Code Cong. & Admin.News at 4984. Through the enactment of the EAJA, Congress intended to encourage litigants of limited means to vindicate their rights by challenging regulations or agency actions that they would otherwise comply with in order to avoid paying the cost of litigation. United States v. 329.73 Acres of Land, 704 F.2d 800, 801 (5th Cir.1983) (en banc). 8 The EAJA authorizes awards of attorney's fees and expenses against the government in certain administrative proceedings and in judicial proceedings. The statutes authorizing these awards are found in 5 U.S.C.A. section 504 and 28 U.S.C.A. section 2412 (West Supp.1990). The procedure for obtaining attorney's fees in an administrative proceeding is explained in 5 U.S.C.A. section 504, while the award of attorney's fees incurred in connection with judicial proceedings are governed by 28 U.S.C.A. section 2412. Although these sections are generally similar, they do vary in certain respects. For example, 28 U.S.C.A. section 2412(f) specifically provides that the government may appeal an award made against the United States in a judicial proceeding, while, as we discussed earlier, 5 U.S.C.A. specifically prohibits the government from appealing such an award when it is made in an agency adjudication. 9 In administrative proceedings, the statute requires any agency that conducts an adversary adjudication to award, to a prevailing party other than the United States, fees and other expenses incurred by that party in connection with that proceeding, unless the adjudicative officer of the agency finds that the position of the agency was substantially justified or that special circumstances make an award unjust. 5 U.S.C. Sec. 504(a)(1). The party seeking the attorney fee award must submit an application to the agency within thirty days of a final disposition in the adversary adjudication. Sec. 504(a)(2). The application must include an itemized statement reflecting the actual time expended and the rate at which fees and other expenses were computed, and must also allege that the position of the agency was not substantially justified. Id. The adjudicative officer's decision on the fee application, which becomes part of the record containing the final decision of the agency, must include written findings and conclusions and the reason or basis therefor. Sec. 504(a)(3).