(SS) John v. Commissioner of Social Security ( 2019 )

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 9 EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 11 JAMIE RACHELLE JOHN, ) Case No.: 1:19-cv-1148- JLT ) 12 Plaintiff, ) ORDER GRANTING PLAINTIFF’S MOTION ) TO PROCEED IN FORMA PAUPERIS 13 v. ) (Doc. 2) ) 14 ANDREW SAUL, ) ORDER DIRECTING CLERK TO ISSUE Commissioner of Social Security Admin., ) SUMMONS, SOCIAL SECURITY CASE 15 ) DOCUMENTS, AND SCHEDULING ORDER Defendant. ) 16 ) ORDER DIRECTING PLAINTIFF TO ) COMPLETE THE SERVICE DOCUMENTS 17 18 Jamie Rachelle John seeks to proceed in forma pauperis with an action for judicial review of the 19 administrative decision denying her application for Social Security benefits. Pending before the Court 20 are the complaint and the motion to proceed in forma pauperis. (Docs. 1, 2) For the following reasons, 21 the Court finds service of the complaint is appropriate. 22 I. Proceeding in forma pauperis 23 The Court may authorize the commencement of an action without prepayment of fees “by a 24 person who submits an affidavit that includes a statement of all assets such person . . . possesses [and] 25 that the person is unable to pay such fees or give security therefor.” 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a). The Court 26 reviewed the financial status affidavit (Doc. 2), and finds the requirements of 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a) are 27 satisfied. Therefore, Plaintiff’s request to proceed in forma pauperis is GRANTED. 28 /// 1 II. Screening Requirement 2 When an individual seeks to proceed in forma pauperis, the Court is required to review the 3 complaint and shall dismiss a complaint, or portion of the complaint, if it is “frivolous, malicious or 4 fails to state a claim upon which relief may be granted; or . . . seeks monetary relief from a defendant 5 who is immune from such relief.” 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b); 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2). A plaintiff’s claim is 6 frivolous “when the facts alleged rise to the level of the irrational or the wholly incredible, whether or 7 not there are judicially noticeable facts available to contradict them.” Denton v. Hernandez, 504 U.S. 8 25, 32-33 (1992). 9 III. Pleading Standards 10 General rules for pleading complaints are governed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. A 11 pleading must include a statement affirming the court’s jurisdiction, “a short and plain statement of the 12 claim showing the pleader is entitled to relief; and . . . a demand for the relief sought, which may 13 include relief in the alternative or different types of relief.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a). The purpose of the 14 complaint is to give the defendant fair notice of the claims, and the grounds upon which the complaint 15 stands. Swierkiewicz v. Sorema N.A., 534 U.S. 506, 512 (2002). The Supreme Court noted, 16 Rule 8 does not require detailed factual allegations, but it demands more than an unadorned, the-defendant-unlawfully-harmed-me accusation. A pleading that offers 17 labels and conclusions or a formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action will not do. Nor does a complaint suffice if it tenders naked assertions devoid of further 18 factual enhancement. 19 Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678-79 (2009) (internal quotation marks and citations omitted). Vague 20 and conclusory allegations do not support a cause of action. Ivey v. Board of Regents, 673 F.2d 266, 21 268 (9th Cir. 1982). The Court clarified further, 22 [A] complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to “state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.” [Citation]. A claim has facial plausibility when 23 the plaintiff pleads factual content that allows the court to draw the reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged. [Citation]. The 24 plausibility standard is not akin to a “probability requirement,” but it asks for more than a sheer possibility that a defendant has acted unlawfully. [Citation]. Where a complaint 25 pleads facts that are “merely consistent with” a defendant’s liability, it “stops short of the line between possibility and plausibility of ‘entitlement to relief.’ 26 27 Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 679 (citations omitted). When factual allegations are well-pled, a court should 28 assume their truth and determine whether the facts would make the plaintiff entitled to relief; legal 1 conclusions are not entitled to the same assumption of truth. Id. The Court may grant leave to amend a 2 complaint to the extent deficiencies of the complaint can be cured by an amendment. Lopez v. Smith, 3 203 F.3d 1122, 1127-28 (9th Cir. 2000) (en banc). 4 IV. Discussion and Analysis 5 Plaintiff seeks review of a decision by the Commissioner of Social Security denying disability 6 benefits. (Doc. 1) The Court may have jurisdiction pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 405(g), which provides: 7 Any individual, after any final decision of the Commissioner made after a hearing to which he was a party, irrespective of the amount in controversy, may obtain a review of 8 such decision by a civil action commenced within sixty days after the mailing to him of such decision or within such further time as the Commissioner may allow. Such action 9 shall be brought in the district court of the United States for the judicial district in which the plaintiff resides, or has his principal place of business . . . The court shall 10 have power to enter, upon the pleadings and transcript of the record, a judgment affirming, modifying, or reversing the decision of the Commissioner of Social Security, 11 with or without remanding the cause for a rehearing. 12 Id. Except as provided by statute, “[n]o findings of fact or decision of the Commissioner shall be 13 reviewed by any person, tribunal, or governmental agency.” 42 U.S.C. § 405(h). These regulations 14 “operate as a statute of limitations setting the time period in which a claimant may appeal a final 15 decision of the Commissioner.” Berrigan v. Astrue, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 115390, at * 4-5 (E.D. Cal. 16 Oct. 29, 2010) (citing Bowen v. City of New York, 476 U.S. 467, 479 (1986); Matthews v. Eldridge, 424 17 U.S. 319, 328 n. 9 (1976)). However, the Appeals Council may grant an extension of time to file a civil 18 action. See 20 C.F.R. § 422.210(c) (“[a]ny civil action described in paragraph (a) of this section must 19 be instituted within 60 days after the Appeals Council's notice of denial . . . except that this time may be 20 extended by the Appeals Council upon a showing of good cause”). 21 Exhibits to the complaint indicate the Appeals Council responded to a request for review of the 22 decision on April 22, 2019, at which time the decision of the ALJ became the final decision of the 23 Commissioner. (Doc. 1 at 2) Plaintiff requested an extention of time to file a civil action, which was 24 granted by the Appeals Council on July 25, 2019. (Id.) Accordingly, Plaintiff was to initiate the action 25 no later than August 30, 2019. Because Plaitniff initiated this action by filing her complaint on August 26 22, 2019, the request for judicial review was filed within the time frame ordered by the Appeals 27 Council. 28 /// 1 V. Conclusion and Order 2 Plaintiff’s complaint states a cognizable claim for review of the administrative decision denying 3 Social Security benefits. Based upon the foregoing, the Court ORDERS: 4 1. Plaintiff’s motion to proceed in forma pauperis (Doc. 2) is GRANTED; 5 2. The Clerk of Court is DIRECTED to issue summons as to Andrew Saul, Commissioner 6 of Social Security; 7 3. The Clerk of Court is DIRECTED to issue and serve Plaintiff with Social Security Case 8 Documents, including the Scheduling Order, Order regarding Consent, the Consent 9 Form, and USM-285 Forms; and 10 4. Within thirty days from the date of this order, Plaintiff SHALL complete the attached 11 Notice of Submission of Documents and submit the completed Notice to the Court with 12 the following documents: 13 a. A completed USM-285 form; and 14 b. Four copies of the complaint filed on August 22, 2019. 15 5. Plaintiff need not attempt service on the defendants and need not request waiver of 16 service. Upon receipt of the above-described documents, the Court will direct the United 17 States Marshal to serve the defendant pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 4 18 without payment of costs. 19 20 IT IS SO ORDERED. 21 Dated: August 26, 2019 /s/ Jennifer L. Thurston 22 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE 23 24 25 26 27 28