[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 49, Volume 6]
[Revised as of October 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 49CFR826.5]

[Page 198]
 
                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
 
                              SAFETY BOARD
 
PART 826--RULES IMPLEMENTING THE EQUAL ACCESS TO JUSTICE ACT OF 1980--Table 
of Contents
 
                      Subpart A--General Provisions
 
Sec. 826.5  Standards for awards.

    (a) A prevailing applicant may receive an award for fees and 
expenses incurred in connection with a proceeding, or in a significant 
and discrete substantive portion of the proceeding, unless the position 
of the agency over which the applicant has prevailed was substantially 
justified. The burden of proof that an award should not be made to an 
eligible prevailing applicant is on the agency counsel, who may avoid an 
award by showing that the agency's position was reasonable in law and 
fact.
    (b) An award will be reduced or denied if the applicant has unduly 
or unreasonably protracted the proceeding or if special circumstances 
make the award sought unjust.