ALBANY – The state Court of Appeals denied recovery of attorney fees for a woman who successfully petitioned a New York City agency for restoration of her shelter allowance, and it declined to analyze whether state law requires counsel fees in similar cases.

The court's unanimous ruling Thursday in Solla v. Berlin, 24, reversed an Appellate Division, First Department, finding that South Brooklyn Legal Services, which represented Luz Solla, is entitled to recovery of fees under the state's Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA).

South Brooklyn Legal Services ultimately won a reversal of a decision by the city Human Resources Administration (HRA) to reduce her monthly shelter allowance from $1,390 to $1,181.