{"argument_date":"2018-11-07T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2018-11-07T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2018","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Ortiz argued the case turns on the phrase such representation.","Mr. Yang asserted Section 406(b)(1)(A) is the only operative provision.","Ms. Weil stated Section 406 is a piecemeal statute with unclear language.","Justice Sotomayor expressed concern about attorneys hounding clients for payment."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 23-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 23-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 45-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 45-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 11-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 11-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 21-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 21-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 33-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 33-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 47-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 47-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 25-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 34, lines 25-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 11-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 53-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 53-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 9-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 25-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 25-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 23-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 23-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 55-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 55-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 9-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 55-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 55-15"}]}],"caption":"Culbertson v. Berryhill","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:33.970096Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Attorneys argue they may retain both statutory fees and a share of client benefits. Clients argue this double-dipping violates the law.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 47-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 47-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 25-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 34, lines 25-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-7"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2018-11-07T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2018","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/17-773.html","primary_docket":"17-773","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-30T18:07:53.579170Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":1},{"correction_note":"Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.","created_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":2}],"schema_version":"1.1","sections":[{"heading":"What this case is about","paragraphs":["This case tests how courts handle attorney fees in Social Security cases. The dispute centers on whether lawyers can keep both an EAJA award and a percentage of the client's back benefits."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 47-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 47-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 25-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 34, lines 25-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-7"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 7, 2018."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 11-21"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case wants the court to limit attorney fees to one statutory source.","the opposing side wants the court to allow attorneys to keep both fee types."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 47-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 47-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 25-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 34, lines 25-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-7"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argues Section 406(b) restricts fees to a single operative provision.","the opposing side argues the statute is unclear and allows multiple fee sources."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 47-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 47-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 25-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 34, lines 25-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-7"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Breyer asked if attorneys can keep fifty percent of the recovery.","Justice Sotomayor asked if attorneys can garnish client assets for fees."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 23-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 23-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 45-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 45-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 11-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 11-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 21-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 21-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 33-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 33-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 53-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 53-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 9-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 25-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 25-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 23-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 23-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 55-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 55-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 9-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 55-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 55-15"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This dispute affects how many Social Security recipients receive their full benefits. It determines whether attorneys can collect fees directly from clients. It impacts the financial burden on disabled individuals seeking legal help."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 47-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 47-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 25-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 34, lines 25-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-7"}]},{"heading":"What happens next","paragraphs":["This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 23-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 23-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 45-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 45-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 11-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 11-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 21-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 21-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 33-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 33-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 11-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 53-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 53-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 9-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 25-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 25-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 23-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 23-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 55-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 55-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 9-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 55-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 55-15"}]}],"slug":"2018-17-773-culbertson-v-berryhill","term":"2018","title":"Can attorneys keep EAJA fees when they also collect a percentage of benefits?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 47-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 47-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 25-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 34, lines 25-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-773_e2pg.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-7"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}