Opinion
Civil Action 5:24-CV-00034-KDB
11-13-2024
WILLIAM HANNAGAN, Plaintiff, v. COMMISSIONER OF SOCIAL SECURITY, Defendant.
ORDER
KENNETH D. BELL UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
THIS MATTER is before the Court on Plaintiff's Amended Petition for Attorney Fees Under the Equal Access to Justice Act 28 U.S.C. § 2412 (Doc. No. 12), to which the Defendant consents. Having reviewed the motion, and for good cause shown, the Court will grant the relief requested.
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the parties' amended request is GRANTED and the Court awards Plaintiff fees in the amount of $4,700.00. Accordingly, Plaintiff's original Petition for Attorney Fees is DENIED as moot (Doc. No. 11). See 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d). Under Comm'r of Soc. Sec. v. Ratliff, 560 U.S. 586, 130 S.Ct. 2521 (2010), the fee award will first be subject to offset of any debt Plaintiff may owe to the United States. The Commissioner will determine whether Plaintiff owes a debt to the United States. If so, the debt will be satisfied first, and if any funds remain, they will be made payable to Plaintiff and mailed to Plaintiff's counsel. If the United States Department of the Treasury reports to the Commissioner that the Plaintiff does not owe a federal debt, the government will exercise its discretion and honor an assignment of EAJA fees and pay the awarded fees directly to Plaintiff's counsel. No additional petition pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d) shall be filed.
SO ORDERED.