(SS) Webster v. Commissioner of Social Security ( 2021 )

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 9 FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 11 DONNA LEE WEBSTER, Case No. 1:20-cv-00986-HBK 12 Plaintiff, ORDER APPROVING PARTIES’ JOINT STIPULATION UNDER SENTENCE FOUR 13 v. OF 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) AND REVERSING FINAL DECISION AND REMANDING 14 COMMISSIONER OF SOCIAL CASE SECURITY, 15 (Doc. No. 17) Defendant. 16 17 Pending before the Court is the parties’ Stipulation for Remand filed June 2, 2021. (Doc. 18 No. 17). Plaintiff Donna Lee Webster and the Commissioner of Social Security jointly stipulate 19 to remand this case for further administrative proceedings under sentence four of 42 U.S.C. § 20 405(g) and for judgment to be entered in Plaintiff’s favor. (Id.). 21 The United States Supreme Court held that the Social Security Act permits remand in 22 conjunction with a judgment either affirming, reversing, or modifying the Secretary’s decision. 23 See Melkonyan v. Sullian, 501 U.S. 89, 97-98 (1991) (addressing issue of attorney’s fees under 24 the Equal Access to Justice Act and calculating deadline using date of final judgment). The 25 Melkonyan Court recognized 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) contemplates only two types of remand – 26 sentence four or sentence six. Id. at 98. A sentence four remand authorizes a court to enter “a 27 judgment affirming, modifying, or reversing the decision of the Secretary, with or without 28 resetting the cause for a rehearing.” Id. at 98 (other citations omitted). 1 Here, the parties’ stipulation seeks a remand of the instant case under sentence four, so the 2 | ALJ will reevaluate the medical opinions, reassess the Plaintiff's residual functional capacity, as 3 || necessary; determine whether Plaintiff can perform past work or other work in the national 4 | economy, offer Plaintiff the opportunity for a hearing; and take further action as warranted to 5 | complete the administrative review and issue a new decision. (Doc. 17 at 1-2). 6 Accordingly, it is now ORDERED: 7 1. The Court APPROVES the parties’ Joint Stipulation (Doc. No. 17). 8 2. The Commissioner of Social Security’s decision is REVERSED, judgment shall 9 | be entered in favor of Plaintiff, and this case is REMANDED to the Commissioner of Social 10 | Security for further proceedings consistent with the parties’ Joint Stipulation and this Order under 11 | 42 U.S.C. § 405(g), sentence four. 12 3. The Clerk is respectfully requested to terminate any pending motions/deadlines 13 || and close this case. 14 | Dated: _ September 24, 2021 Mihaw. Wh. foareh Zaskth 16 HELENA M. BARCH-KUCHTA UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28