[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 17, Volume 1]
[Revised as of April 1, 2006]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 17CFR148.4]

[Page 549-550]
 
              TITLE 17--COMMODITY AND SECURITIES EXCHANGES
 
             CHAPTER I--COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION
 
PART 148_IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EQUAL ACCESS TO JUSTICE ACT IN COVERED 
ADJUDICATORY PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE COMMISSION--Table of Contents
 
                      Subpart A_General Provisions
 
Sec.  148.4  Eligibility of applicants.

    (a) To be eligible for an award of attorney fees and other expenses 
under the Act, the applicant must be a party to the adjudicatory 
proceeding for which it seeks an award. The term ``party'' is defined in 
5 U.S.C. 551(3). The applicant must show that it meets all conditions of 
eligibility set out in this subpart and in subpart B.
    (b) The types of eligible applicants are as follows:
    (1) An individual with a net worth of not more than $2 million;
    (2) The sole owner of an unincorporated business who has a net worth 
of not more than $7 million, including both personal and business 
interests, and not more that 500 employees;
    (3) A charitable or other tax-exempt organization described in 
section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3)) 
with not more than 500 employees;
    (4) A cooperative association as defined in section 15(a) of the 
Agricultural Marketing Act (12 U.S.C. 1141j(a)) with not more than 500 
employees; and
    (5) Any other partnership, corporation, association, unit of local 
government, or public or private organization with a net worth of not 
more than $7 million and not more than 500 employees.
    (c) For the purpose of eligibility, the net worth and number of 
employees of an applicant shall be determined as of the date the 
adjudicatory proceeding was initiated.
    (d) An applicant who owns an unincorporated business will be 
considered as an ``individual'' rather than a ``sole owner of an 
unincorporated business'' if the issues on which the applicant prevails 
are related primarily to personal interests rather than to business 
interests.
    (e) The employees of an applicant include all persons who regularly 
perform services for compensation for the applicant, under the 
applicant's direction and control. The term ``employee'' also embraces 
all the agents of an applicant, by whatever title or label they may be 
known, for whose acts or omissions the applicant may be held liable 
under the Commodity Exchange Act. See 7 U.S.C. 4. Part-time employees 
shall be included on a proportional basis.
    (f) The net worth and number of employees of the applicant and all 
of its affiliates shall be aggregated to determine eligibility. Any 
individual, corporation or other entity that directly or indirectly 
controls or owns a majority of the voting shares or other interest of 
the applicant, or any corporation or other entity of which the applicant 
directly or indirectly owns or controls a majority of the voting shares 
or other interest, will be considered an affiliate for purposes of this 
part, unless the Presiding Officer determines that such treatment would 
be unjust and contrary to the purposes of the Act in light of the actual 
relationship between the affiliated entities. In addition, the Presiding 
Officer may determine that financial relationships of the applicant 
other than those described in

[[Page 550]]

this paragraph constitute special circumstances that would make an award 
unjust.
    (g) An applicant that participates in a proceeding on behalf of one 
or more other persons or entitles that would be ineligible is not itself 
eligible for an award.

[46 FR 57671, Nov. 25, 1981, as amended at 51 FR 18880, May 23, 1986]