Herman W. SWENSON, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. Margaret M. HECKLER, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Defendant-Appellee

Good Law
801 F.2d 1079·1986 U.S. App. LEXIS 31591
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth CircuitOctober 6, 198684-3724California395 words

Opinion

Opinion

ORDER

In December 1984, we reversed a judgment which denied Swenson social security disability benefits and remanded the case to allow the Secretary an opportunity to rebut Swenson’s prima facie showing of disability. Swenson v. Heckler, 753 F.2d 1083 (9th Cir.1984) (unpublished memorandum decision).

Swenson has now applied for attorney fees under the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA), 28 U.S.C. § 2412 . The issue is whether he is a “prevailing party,” as required by the EAJA. See 28 U.S.C. § 2412 (d). We hold that he is not and deny his application as premature.

In holding that securing a remand on an appeal of an administrative disability decision is insufficient to qualify a claimant as a prevailing party under the EAJA, we join the other circuits that have considered the question. See Cook v. Heckler, 751 F.2d 240 (8th Cir.1984); Brown v. Secretary of Health and Human Services, 747 F.2d 878 (3d Cir.1984); McGill v. Secretary of Health and Human Services, 712 F.2d 28 (2d Cir.1983), cert. denied, 465 U.S. 1068 , 104 S.Ct. 1420 , 79 L.Ed.2d 745 .(1984). Cf. Taylor v. Heckler, 778 F.2d 674 (11th Cir.1985) (concluding no fee eligibility until remand concluded and district court…

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