(SS) Jeffries v. Commissioner of Social Security

Opinion

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11 THOMAS JEFFRIES, ) Case No.: 1:23-cv-0955 JLT GSA ) 12 Plaintiff, ) ORDER ADOPTING FINDINGS AND ) RECOMMENDATIONS AND GRANTING 13 v. ) PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR ATTORNEY’S FEES ) PURSUANT TO THE EQUAL ACCESS TO Commissioner of Social Security1, ) 15 ) (Docs. 22, 25) Defendant. ) 16 )

17 Thomas Jeffries seeks an award of attorney’s fees in the amount of $6,603.61 pursuant to the 18 Equal Access to Justice Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d). (Doc. 22.) The magistrate judge found Plaintiff was 19 a prevailing. (Doc. 25 at 3.) The magistrate judge also observed the Commissioner did not argue the 20 position on appeal was justified, because the Commissioner did not oppose the fee request. (See id.) 21 Thus, the magistrate judge found Plaintiff was entitled to a fee award. (Id.) The magistrate judge 22 determined the fees requested were reasonable, and recommended the motion be granted. (Id. at 4-5.) 23 The Court served the Findings and Recommendations on all parties and notified them that any 24 objections were due within 14 days. (Doc. 25 at 5.) The Court advised the parties that “failure to file 25 objections within the specified time may result in the waiver of rights on appeal.” (Id., citing Wilkerson 26 v. Wheeler, 772 F.3d 834, 839 (9th Cir. 2014), Baxter v. Sullivan, 923 F.2d 1391, 1394 (9th Cir. 1991).) 27

28 1 Martin O’Malley became the Commissioner of Social Security on December 20, 2023. Pursuant to Rule 25(d) of the 1 || Neither party filed objections, and the time to do so has passed. 2 According to 28 U.S.C. § 636 (b)(1), this Court performed a de novo review of the case. 3 || Having carefully reviewed the matter, the Court concludes the Findings and Recommendations are 4 || supported by the record and proper analysis. Thus, the Court ORDERS: 5 1. The Findings and Recommendations dated May 17, 2024 (Doc. 25) are ADOPTED ir 6 full. 7 2. Plaintiff's motion for attorneys’ fees (Doc. 22) is GRANTED. 8 3. Plaintiff is AWARDED fees in the amount of $6,603.61 pursuant to the EAJA. 9 4. If the Department of the Treasury determines that Plaintiff does not owe a federal debt 10 the Government SHALL issue the fee award directly to Plaintiff's Counsel, Jonathan | 11 Pena, pursuant to the Assignment Agreement executed by Plaintiff and his counsel. 12 13 ||IT IS SO ORDERED. 14 Dated: _ June 4, 2024 Cerin | Tower 15 TED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28