[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 10, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 10CFR12.101]

[Page 263]
 
                            TITLE 10--ENERGY
 
                CHAPTER I--NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
 
PART 12--IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EQUAL ACCESS TO JUSTICE ACT IN AGENCY 
PROCEEDINGS--Table of Contents
 
                      Subpart A--General Provisions
 
Sec. 12.101  Purpose.


    The purpose of this part is to state the regulatory requirements for 
award of attorney fees to eligible individuals and entities in certain 
administrative proceedings before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, in 
implementation of the Equal Access to Justice Act, 5 U.S.C. 504 (EAJA), 
which provides for the award of attorney fees and other expenses to 
parties to ``adversary adjudications'', as defined in 5 U.S.C. 
504(b)(1)(C). In general, an ``adversary adjudication'' is an 
adjudication that is required by statute to be determined on the record 
after opportunity for hearing before an agency of the United States and 
in which the position of the agency, or any component of the agency, is 
presented by an attorney or other representative who enters an 
appearance and participates in the proceeding. However, some agency 
adjudications are expressly excluded from coverage by 5 U.S.C. 504 
(e.g., an adjudication for the purpose of granting or renewing a 
license) even though they fall within this general definition, and 
certain appeals before an agency board of contract appeals and Program 
Fraud Civil Remedies Act hearings conducted under 31 U.S.C. ch. 38 are 
expressly covered.
    An eligible party may receive an award in an adversary adjudication 
when the party prevails over the Commission, unless the Commission's 
position was substantially justified or special circumstances make an 
award unjust. The regulations in this part describe the parties eligible 
for awards and the proceedings that are covered. They also explain how 
to apply for awards, and the procedures and standards that the 
Commission will use to make them.