[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 49, Volume 7] [Revised as of October 1, 2006] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 49CFR826.5] [Page 180] TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION CHAPTER VIII--NATIONAL 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.