(SS) Ward v. Commissioner of Social Security

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

BERNARD WARD, ) Case No.: 1:21-cv-0402 JLT GSA ) Plaintiff, ) ORDER ADOPTING IN FULL THE FINDINGS ) AND RECOMMENDATIONS AND GRANTING v. ) THE MOTION FOR ATTORNEY FEES ) PURSUANT TO 42 U.S.C. § 406(b) COMMISSIONER OF SOCIAL SECURITY, ) ) (Docs. 29, 32) Defendant. ) )

Jonathan O. Peña, counsel for Plaintiff Bernard Ward, seeks an award of attorney’s fees in the amount of $43,003.43, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 406(b). (Doc. 29.) The magistrate judge found the requested fees are reasonable based upon “the character of the representation, the result achieved, and the fee amounts awarded in similar cases.” (Doc. 32 at 3; see also id. at 1-3.) Therefore, the magistrate judge recommended the motion for fees be granted, payment be directed to Counsel, and Counsel be directed to refund the fees previously awarded to Plaintiff under the Equal Access to Justice Act. (Id. at 3-4.) The Court served the Findings and…