(SS) Sanchez v. Commissioner of Social Security

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 9 CATHERINE H. SANCHEZ, No. 2:18-cv-66-EFB Plaintiff, v. ORDER ANDREW SAUL, Commissioner of Social Security, 14 Defendant.

16 Plaintiff moves for an award of attorneys’ fees and costs under the Equal Access to Justice Act (“EAJA”), 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d)(1). ECF No. 23. She seeks attorney fees in the amount of $11,094.07 based on 55.03 hours of work performed by attorney Jared Walker at a rate of $201.60 per hour. See ECF No. 24-2. She also seeks $20.60 in costs. The Commissioner agrees that plaintiff is entitled to attorney’s fees, but he argues that the number of hours expended by counsel was unreasonable and should be reduced accordingly. ECF No. 25. For the following reasons, plaintiff’s motion is granted in part. I. Reasonableness of Fee Request The EAJA directs the court to award a reasonable fee. 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d)(2)(A). In determining whether a fee is reasonable, the court considers the hours expended, the reasonable 27…