ÿWPCk)  
      GI     ,!VhÏQþ×üÅtM+� éÄkG{Íiln˜ôpÖ#\œ�m»c�òHÎ­l7–	VyoÄs'aÌUprå§ŸÛ ¼H,[²>ò°„(!~”iþ_”P“N9WpÌ’æ4·6;õ�þÿïþ&°	bÚlÇ–æf¶¿aê¨iƒ*‡‚¼7â‹®GÂ/~_â»ûHÈÛƒ•´¡åaí˜ÔY›OV ék—{bÙyÛo•¶“‚&‹�Zj:›£ÚýŽ¤aŽ0ðõÐ�»›`,„ÕK€;É%9Ö™…µ¹	»Ô‡>¬k¬ŸÎ®RN×N˜±¼ô£n}×0:‡*³V�Ú5óø+¼×6�SãeS#<ßŸlŸt$9TÉ6"å«zej2èÅúÁyð�w¼å¦)ÄŒPµÒ¾©ÛwÏ7‹wBýävÎFˆàG÷Gž0£ù©JVÅŒË­ŸrdmÕŽéªzü5[©ff˜oPŸ=qô]cÒ`]k(R‘’+õ›Æø¯eŽæ»¢ýö¹�73(¦õÃhAOË´ÆÍUq¢—·Ã‰ŸL½Ø•w¿$¥¤¬ßd
Ù¼¡’`°¯nË£gHø²EjðFÃE­ï~J(×•ÖÉ`îOš_9K7ÎuHž-²¾KX8-z E           	%      Æ  0   z   Ì  0   œ   F  0   ~   â  0   x   `  0   k   Ø  0   k   C  0   š   ®  0   ~   H	  0   Ñ   Æ	  0   ä   —
  0   ¦   {  0   ÷   !  0   
    0     "  0   1  @  0   C  q  0   V  ´  0   Ï   
  0   ¤   Ù  0   ¤   }  0   Ã   !  0   ¼   ä  0   »      0   Ù   [  0   £   4  0   £   ×   U   .   z  0   ä   ¨  	      Œ  0   =   �  0   F   Ú  0   P      	1   •   p  0   Ù     	1     Þ  0   ¾   å  0   ·   £     }  Z   E      ×"   U   >   Ù"  n   X  #   U   N   o$  	B      ½$  w   @   Ú$  4      %        .%     ‚  =%   	      ¿'        Å'   	      Û'            Û'   	      á'            á'   	      ç'   	      í'            í'        ó'            ó'            ó'            ó'            ó'            ó'  0   ¸   û'            û'            û'            û'  0   ¸   ³(    X    R       &          ÿÿ8 B i b l i o g r p h y   B i b l i o g r a p h y   à0    . .  àà     °. . ° àÌÌ    (   t               Œð$ ¡   ¡   Ó      ÓÑ     ÑÑ7 €  ì X  X       dÈ                     7 ÑÑ    f ÑÔ     ÔÔ      Ô    V       &          ÿÿ8 D o c u m e n t [ 8 ]   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   à0    . .  àà8    `	. . `	 àÌ     V                ÿÿ8 D o c u m e n t [ 4 ]   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   à    . .  àòòòò.óó€€óó    V                 ÿÿ8 D o c u m e n t [ 6 ]   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   à8    . .  àÌ     V                 ÿÿ8 D o c u m e n t [ 5 ]   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   à0    . .  àÌ     V       /         ÿÿ8 D o c u m e n t [ 2 ]   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   ÌòòÔ2     ÔA.Ô3
   
 Ô€òòÔ
     ÔÔ     ÔÌ óóóó    V       &          ÿÿ8 D o c u m e n t [ 7 ]   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   à0    . .  àà0    `	. . `	 àÌ     z       U          ÿÿ: R i g h t   P a r [ 1 ]   R i g h t - A l i g n e d   P a r a g r a p h   N u m b e r s   àÐ    . .   àÔ2       ÔI.Ô3
   
 Ô€ˆà     °. . ° àà0    . .  àÌ     z       h          ÿÿ: R i g h t   P a r [ 2 ]   R i g h t - A l i g n e d   P a r a g r a p h   N u m b e r s   à    . .  ààÐ    `	. . ø àÔ2      ÔA.Ô3
   
 Ô€ˆà     . .  àà0    `	. . `	 àÌ     V       ?         ÿÿ8 D o c u m e n t [ 3 ]   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   Ìà    . .  àòòÔ2     Ô1.Ô3
   
 Ô€Ô
     ÔÔ     Ô óó    z       {          ÿÿ: R i g h t   P a r [ 3 ]   R i g h t - A l i g n e d   P a r a g r a p h   N u m b e r s   à    . .  àà    `	. . `	 ààÐ    ¸. . P
 àÔ2      Ô1.Ô3
   
 Ô€ˆà     `	. . `	 àà0    ¸. . ¸ àÌ     z       Ž          ÿÿ: R i g h t   P a r [ 4 ]   R i g h t - A l i g n e d   P a r a g r a p h   N u m b e r s   à    . .  àà    `	. . `	 àà    ¸. . ¸ ààÐ    . . ¨ àÔ2      Ôa.Ô3
   
 Ô€ˆà     ¸. . ¸ àà0    . .  àÌ     z       ¢          ÿÿ: R i g h t   P a r [ 5 ]   R i g h t - A l i g n e d   P a r a g r a p h   N u m b e r s   à    . .  àà    `	. . `	 àà    ¸. . ¸ àà    . .  ààÐ    h. . ˆ àÔ2      Ô(1)Ô3
   
 Ô€ˆà     . .  àà0    h. . h àÌ     z       µ          ÿÿ: R i g h t   P a r [ 6 ]   R i g h t - A l i g n e d   P a r a g r a p h   N u m b e r s   à    . .  àà    `	. . `	 àà    ¸. . ¸ àà    . .  àà    h. . h ààÐ    À. . à àÔ2      Ô(a)Ô3
   
 Ô€ˆà     h. . h àà0    À. . À àÌ     z       Ç          ÿÿ: R i g h t   P a r [ 7 ]   R i g h t - A l i g n e d   P a r a g r a p h   N u m b e r s   à    . .  àà    `	. . `	 àà    ¸. . ¸ àà    . .  àà    h. . h àà    À. . À ààÐ    . . ° àÔ2      Ôi)Ô3
   
 Ô€ˆà     À. . À àà0    . .  àÌ     z       Ú          ÿÿ: R i g h t   P a r [ 8 ]   R i g h t - A l i g n e d   P a r a g r a p h   N u m b e r s   à    . .  àà    `	. . `	 àà    ¸. . ¸ àà    . .  àà    h. . h àà    À. . À àà    . .  ààÐ    p. .  àÔ2      Ôa)Ô3
   
 Ô€ˆà     . .  àà0    p. . p àÌ     V       X         ÿÿ8 D o c u m e n t [ 1 ]   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   ÌÔ     Ôà@    ì. . ^ àòòòòÔ
      ÔÔ2      ÔI.Ô3
   
 Ô€Ô    ÔÔ     ÔÔ      ÔˆÌ óóóó    l       2         ÿÿ: T e c h n i c a l [ 5 ]   T e c h n i c a l   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   à    . .  àòòÔ2     Ô(1)Ô3
   
 Ô€.€€óó    l       2         ÿÿ: T e c h n i c a l [ 6 ]   T e c h n i c a l   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   à    . .  àòòÔ2     Ô(a)Ô3
   
 Ô€.€€óó    l       /   %      ÿÿ: T e c h n i c a l [ 2 ]   T e c h n i c a l   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   ÌòòÔ2     ÔA.Ô3
   
 Ô€òòÔ
     ÔÔ     ÔóóÌ à    . .  àóó    l       ,   !      ÿÿ: T e c h n i c a l [ 3 ]   T e c h n i c a l   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   ÌòòÔ2     Ô1.Ô3
   
 Ô€Ô
     ÔÔ     Ô à    . .  àóó    l      (   !      ÿÿ: T e c h n i c a l [ 4 ]   T e c h n i c a l   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   òòÔ2     Ôa.Ô3
   
 Ô€Ô
     ÔÔ     Ô à    . .  àóó    l       :   0      ÿÿ: T e c h n i c a l [ 1 ]   T e c h n i c a l   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   ÌòòòòÔ
      ÔÔ2      ÔI.Ô3
   
 Ô€Ô    ÔÔ     ÔÔ      ÔÌ óóà    . .  àóó    l       1         ÿÿ: T e c h n i c a l [ 7 ]   T e c h n i c a l   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   à    . .  àòòÔ2     Ôi)Ô3
   
 Ô€.€€óó    l       1         ÿÿ: T e c h n i c a l [ 8 ]   T e c h n i c a l   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   à    . .  àòòÔ2     Ôa)Ô3
   
 Ô€.€€óó< þ6X  9   ` (   C o u r i e r             f          p        ÿÿ2 D o c   I n i t   I n i t i a l i z e   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   Ó €    ÓÇÓS €	"       	         I. 1. A. a.(1)(a) i) a)                 S ÓØ                     Ø    !           (                  ÿÿ$ ˜   ˜   Ìà0
    
 àà 
    
 à    (                  ÿÿ$ ™   ™   à0
    
 àà0
    
 àà 
    
 à    (       (           ÿÿ$ š   š   à0
    
 àà0
    
 àà0
    
 àà 
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 à       	   ÿÿ  A _ e k q w  ‡ � D o c u m e n t   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   I .   1 .   A .   a .   ( 1 )   ( a )   i )   a )         j       o            ÿÿ4 T e c h   I n i t   I n i t i a l i z e   T e c h n i c a l   S t y l e   ÓS €	$                      1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1                 þ S ÓØ                     Ø          ÿÿ        C u y � � � ± É å T e c h n i c a l   T e c h n i c a l   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   1   1 . 1   1 . 1 . 1   1 . 1 . 1 . 1   1 . 1 . 1 . 1 . 1   1 . 1 . 1 . 1 . 1 . 1   1 . 1 . 1 . 1 . 1 . 1 . 1   1 . 1 . 1 . 1 . 1 . 1 . 1 . 1         x   F               £82 P l e a d i n g   H e a d e r   f o r   n u m b e r e d   p l e a d i n g   p a p e r   Ó    È    ÓÑ     ° ÑÑ   è° ÑÖ €'       ÿÿ Í Ka:; Ö    (   �               2‹$ ¨   ¨   Ý
 ƒ  Œð! ÝÓ      ÓÑ     ÑÑ7 €  kz X  X       dð                  dð 7 ÑÑ    f ÑÔ     ÔÔ      ÔÝ    Ý 
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 ƒ&  ÿÿ( ÝÝ    ÝÔ €  Xì  X  X Xì ÔÓ    È    ÓÒ    X° ÒÒ   °° ÒÓ    ÿÿÀ°   ›X Óß> €, ( '                 ü ° ø*–       d       > ßß> €, ( '                  ° ø*–       d      > ßÌÌà�    H À à1ˆÌÌà�    H À à2ˆÌÌà�    H À à3ˆÌÌà�    H À à4ˆÌÌà�    H À à5ˆÌÌà�    H À à6ˆÌÌà�    H À à7ˆÌÌà�    H À à8ˆÌÌà�    H À à9ˆÌÌà�    Ð À à10ˆÌÌà�    Ð À à11ˆÌÌà�    Ð À à12ˆÌÌà�    Ð À à13ˆÌÌà�    Ð À à14ˆÌÌà�    Ð À à15ˆÌÌà�    Ð À à16ˆÌÌà�    Ð À à17ˆÌÌà�    Ð À à18ˆÌÌà�    Ð À à19ˆÌÌà�    Ð À à20ˆÌÌà�    Ð À à21ˆÌÌà�    Ð À à22ˆÌÌà�    Ð À à23ˆÌÌà�    Ð À à24ˆÌÌà�    Ð À à25ˆÌÌà�    Ð À à26ˆÌÌà�    Ð À à27ˆÐ   	 P-0*6   Ð‡à�    Ð À à28Ô"              Ø'      " Ô  ) ô\	  	   `   & T m s R m n       L e g a l   P r o   « < þ6X  9   ` (   C o u r i e r                                                                                                         Xôx þ6X   @É “8Å; X@) ô\	  	   `   & T m s R m n       L e g a l   P r o                                                                                   XXt ô\	    PŽ ¨PU XP( @øÐ  	   Z  ‹6 T i m e s   N e w   R o m a n   R e g u l a r                            d  
   ×  Ø D Ù Ê Ú D Û Ê Ü Ê Ý Ê Þ  ß D à Ê VŽ±(VŽ±(À�<      3| x    à                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
            Ð		-   
 '           G E I E R J    0    G E I E R J   
 .      
       
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      Ñ   À Ñ  H    È    È    È           (   �               3Ì8$ §   §   Ý
 ƒ  Œð! ÝÓ      ÓÑ     ÑÑ7 €  kz X  X       dð                  dð 7 ÑÑ    f ÑÔ     ÔÔ      ÔÝ    Ý    (   �               3Ì8$ ©   ©   Ý
 ƒ  Œð! ÝÓ      ÓÑ     ÑÑ7 €  kz X  X       dð                  dð 7 ÑÑ    f ÑÔ     ÔÔ      ÔÝ    ÝÝ
 ƒ  Œð! ÝÓ      ÓÑ     ÑÑ7 €  kz X  X       dð                  dÈ 7 ÑÑ    f ÑÔ     ÔÔ      ÔÝ    ÝÑ7 €)  ) X X       dð  X  X       dð 7 ÑÓ     ÓÔ     ÔÔ €+  X=€ X  X X   Ôñ ÚñÓ= €   ˆm    Ð   X       d     Ð            d= ÓñÚññ ÜññÛñÔ% €1    ÔñÛññÜññÔñÑ €2  ?c  ÑñÔññ ÝññÜñÔ% €7    ÔñÜññÝññÝñÔ% €8    ÔñÝñà@    ÞÞ ì àòòUNITED€STATES€COURT€OF€APPEALS€FOR€VETERANS€CLAIMS€óóˆÐ   	 °      ÐÌÌà@    ìì% ì àòòNoóó.€98„1590ˆÐ   	 €Ð   ÐÌà@    gg ì àòòRandall€C.€Scarborough,€Appellantóó,ˆÐ   	 `	°   ÐÌà@    šš) ì àòòv.óóˆÐ   	 @�   ÐÌòòà@    ÖÖ! ì àTogo€D.€West,€Jr.,óóˆÐ   	  p	   Ðà@    �� ì àòòSecretary€of€Veterans€Affairs,€Appellee.šóóˆÐ   	 `	
   ÐÌÌà@    Ö
Ö
 ì àBefore€KRAMER,€òòHOLDAWAY,óó€and€GREENE,€òòJudges.óóˆÐ   	 à0   ÐÌà@    & ì àòòO€R€D€E€RóóˆÐ   	 À   ÐÌà     àBefore€the€Court€is€the€appellant's€application,€through€counsel,€for€attorney€fees€andÏexpenses€in€the€amount€of€$19,333.75,€pursuant€to€the€Equal€Access€to€Justice€Act€(EAJA),€28ÏU.S.C.€ðð�2412(d).€€The€Secretary€has€filed€a€motion€to€dismiss€for€lack€of€jurisdiction,€and€theÏappellant€has€filed€a€response€to€the€Secretary's€motion.€€For€the€reason€that€follows,€the€Court€willÏdismiss€the€appellant's€application.ÌÌà     àIn€the€underlying€litigation,€the€appellant€appealed€a€July€1998€decision€of€the€Board€ofÏVeterans'€Appeals€(Board),€which€determined,€inter€alia,€that€a€March€1976€regional€office€(RO)Ïdecision,€which€had€denied€entitlement€to€service€connection€for€chronic€renal€failure€on€the€basisÏthat€the€condition€preexisted€service,€contained€no€clear€and€unmistakable€error€(CUE).€€In€a€July�9,Ï1999,€order,€this€Court€vacated€the€decision€and€remanded€the€matter€on€the€basis€that€both€the€1976ÏRO€decision€and€the€Board€decision€failed€to€address€the€effect€of€the€law€existing€at€the€time€of€theÏRO€decision€regarding€the€presumption€of€sound€condition.€€ÌÌà     àThe€appellant,€through€his€counsel,€submitted€a€premature€EAJA€application€(App.)€onÏAugust€19,€1999,€which€was€filed€on€October€4,€1999,€after€entry€of€mandate€in€this€case.€€In€hisÏapplication,€the€appellant€stated€that:€€(1)€he€was€the€prevailing€party€pursuant€to€the€July€1999Ïremand€order,€(2)€his€net€worth€did€not€exceed€the€$2,000,000.00€limit€for€filing€under€the€EAJA;Ï(3)€his€attorney€had€represented€him€in€the€matter€since€August€1998;€and€(4)€the€attorney€hadÏincurred€fees€and€expenses€during€his€representation€of€the€appellant,€which€were€enumerated€in€anÏattachment€to€the€application.€€App.€at�1-2,€Attachment.€€On€December€3,€1999,€the€Secretary€filedÏa€motion€to€dismiss€for€lack€of€jurisdiction€on€the€basis€that€the€appellant€failed€to€allege€that€VA'sÏposition€lacked€substantial€justification.€€In€response,€on€December€9,€1999,€112€days€afterÏsubmission€of€his€application€and€66€days€after€the€filing€of€the€application,€the€appellant€filed€anÏamendment€to€his€EAJA€application,€in€which€he€alleged€that€VA's€position€lacked€substantialÏjustification.Ìâ
    
 âÐ     -P(+   ÐÑ  2 ?c  ÑÑ   À° ÑÑ
   
 Ñà     àThe€Court€has€jurisdiction€to€award€reasonable€attorney€fees€and€expenses€pursuant€toÏâ
    
 â28�U.S.C.€ðð�2412(d)(2)(F),€as€amended€by€section€506€of€the€Federal€Courts€Administration€Act€ofÏñ ÝñÑ  2 ?c  ÑÑ   À° ÑÑ
   
 ÑñÝññ ÜñÑ  2 ?c  ÑÑ   À° ÑÑ
   
 ÑñÜññ ÛñÑ  2 ?c  ÑÑ   À° ÑÑ
   
 ÑñÛññ ÚñÑ  2 ?c  ÑÑ   À° ÑÑ
   
 ÑñÚñ1992,€Pub.€L.€No.€102„572,€ðð�506,€106€Stat.€4506,€4513€(1992).€€In€order€to€be€eligible€for€an€EAJAÏaward,€the€EAJA€application€must€be€filed€within€the€30„day€EAJA€application€period€set€forth€inÏ28€U.S.C.€ðð�2412(d)(1)(B).€€In€addition,€in€order€to€satisfy€jurisdictional€requirements,€theÏapplication€must€contain€a€showing€that€the€applicant€is€a€prevailing€party,€an€assertion€that€theÏapplicant€is€a€party€eligible€for€an€award€under€the€EAJA,€and€an€allegation€that€the€position€of€theÏSecretary€was€not€substantially€justified.€€òòSeeóó€28€U.S.C.€ðð�2412(d)(1)(A)€and€(B);€òòChesser›€v.�Westóó,Ð   	 @�   Ð11�Vet.App.€497,€499€(1998);€òòœBazalo›€v.�Brownóó,€9€Vet.App.€304,€308€(1996)€(en€banc),€òòœrev'd›€on€otherÐ   	 0€   Ðgrounds€sub€nom.€œBazalo›€v.€West,óó€150€F.3d€1380,€1384€(Fed.€Cir.€1998).€€Although€not€aÐ   	  p	   Ðjurisdictional€requirement,€to€be€a€party€eligible€for€an€EAJA€award,€an€individual€must€show€thatÏhis€or€her€net€worth€did€not€exceed€$2,000,000.00€at€the€time€the€civil€action€was€filed.€€òòSee€óó28Ð   	  P
   ÐU.S.C.€ðð�2412(d)(2)(B);€òòBazaloóó,€150�F.3d�at�1383„84.Ð   	 ð@   ÐÌà     àContrary€to€the€contention€of€the€appellant,€the€United€States€Court€of€Appeals€for€theÏFederal€Circuit€(Federal€Circuit)€has€not€held€that€"the€requirement€to€file€[an€EAJA€application]Ïwithin€30€days€[is]€clearly€jurisdictional,€but€the€other€requirements€of€the€statute€[are]€not."€ÏAppellant's€Response€(Resp.)€at�1.€€As€indicated€above,€this€Court€specifically€held€inÏòòBazalo�v.�Brown€óóthat,€inter€alia,€the€requirement€that€an€applicant€must€allege,€within€the€requisiteÐ   	 �à   Ð30-day€time€period,€that€VA's€actions€lacked€substantial€justification€is€jurisdictional,€and€that€anÏapplicant€may€not€amend€a€jurisdictionally€defective€application€outside€of€that€30-day€filing€period.€ÏòòSee€óó28�U.S.C.€ðð�2412(d)(1)(B);€òòBazaloóó,€9€Vet.App.€at�308-09.€€On€appeal,€the€Federal€Circuit€leftÐ   	 `°   Ðintact€the€holding€of€the€Court€on€the€substantial€justification€question,€addressing€solely€the€questionÏwhether€a€timely€filed€EAJA€application€may€be€supplemented€after€the€expiration€of€the€30-dayÏperiod€for€filing€set€forth€in€section€2412(d)(1)(B)€to€show€eligibility€by€establishing€that€theÏapplicant€met€the€net€worth€requirement€of€section€2412(d)(2)(B).€€òòSee€Bazalo�v.�Westóó,€150€F.3dÐ   	  p   Ðat�1384€(holding,€where€application€alleged€position€of€VA€lacked€substantial€justification€and€statedÏthat€applicant€was€"a€prevailing€party€and€entitled€to€receive€an€award,"€that€application€could€beÏsupplemented€outside€30-day€filing€period€to€show€that€net€worth€requirement€met€if€GovernmentÏnot€prejudiced€thereby).€€Indeed,€the€Federal€Circuit€implicitly€upheld€this€Court's€ruling€that€anÏallegation€of€substantial€justification€within€the€requisite€30-day€period€is€jurisdictional€when€itÏstated€that€Mr.€Bazalo,€who€had€specifically€alleged€a€lack€of€substantial€justification€in€his€original,Ïtimely,€fee€application,€"met€the€jurisdictional€requirements"€of€the€EAJA€statute.€€œòòñ×ñId.ñ×ññ ØñBazalo›�v.›€WestñØñóóñ Øñ,›€150›€F.3d›€at›�1384ñØñ;›€òòsee€alsoÐ   	 °"     ÐCommissioner,€INS€v.€Jeanóó,€496�U.S.�154,€160€(1990)€(a€"fee€application€must€contain€an€allegationÐ   	  #ð!   Ð'that€the€position€of€the€United€States€was€not€substantially€justified'").€€Accordingly,€the€applicationÏfiled€by€the€appellant€within€the€30-day€filing€period,€which€contained€no€mention€whatsoeverÏregarding€substantial€justification,€is€jurisdictionally€deficient.€€The€amendment€alleging€a€lack€ofÏsubstantial€justification,€filed€well€outside€of€the€requisite€30-day€period,€cannot€correct€such€aÏjurisdictional€deficit,€òòsee€Bazalo€v.€Brownóó,€9€Vet.App.€at�308-09,€and€the€Court€therefore€lacksÐ   	 P( #&   Ðjurisdiction€over€the€appellant's€EAJA€application.ÌÌà     àOn€consideration€of€the€above,€it€is€Ìâ
    
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