Unreported / Non-Citable
Disposition notice
On October 16, 2026, Magistrate Judge Sheila K. Oberto of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California approved the parties' stipulation and unopposed motion awarding plaintiff John Joseph Dausner $10,000.00 in attorney fees and expenses under the Equal Access to Justice Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2412(d), with no costs under 28 U.S.C. § 1920. The stipulation provides that fees are payable to Dausner, but if the Treasury Department determines he owes no federal debt, payment will be made directly to his counsel pursuant to an assignment, consistent with Astrue v. Ratliff, 560 U.S. 586 (2010). The award is a compromise settlement, not an admission of liability, and is without prejudice to counsel's right to seek Social Security Act fees under 42 U.S.C. § 406(b), subject to the EAJA savings clause.