Dickerson v. Social Security Administration Commissioner

Filing 13

MEMORANDUM OPINION. Signed by Honorable Erin L. Setser on September 20, 2013. (lw)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS
HARRISON DIVISION

TAMMY DICKERSON

v.

PLAINTIFF

CIVIL NO. 13-3048

CAROLYN W. COLVIN, Commissioner
Social Security Administration

DEFENDANT

MEMORANDUM OPINION
Plaintiff, Tammy Dickerson, brings this action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) seeking
judicial review of a decision of the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration
(Commissioner) denying her application for supplemental security income (SSI) benefits. (Doc.
1). The Defendant filed an Answer to Plaintiff's action on July 12, 2013, asserting that the
findings of the Commissioner were supported by substantial evidence and were conclusive. (Doc.
9). Plaintiff filed an appeal brief on August 14, 2013. (Doc. 11).
On September 9, 2013, the Commissioner, having changed positions, filed a motion
requesting that Plaintiff's case be remanded pursuant to "sentence four" of section 405(g) in order
to conduct further administrative proceedings. (Doc. 12). The Defendant seeks remand so that
the Agency may re-evaluate Plaintiff’s allegations, further develop the record as necessary, and
issue a new decision.
The exclusive methods by which a district court may remand a social security case to the
Commissioner are set forth in "sentence four" and "sentence six" of 42 U.S.C. § 405(g). A
remand pursuant to "sentence six" is limited to two situations: where the Commissioner requests

AO72A
(Rev. 8/82)

a remand before answering the complaint, or where the court orders the Commissioner to
consider new, material evidence that was for good cause not presented before the agency. The
Fourth sentence of the statute provides that "[t]he court shall 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, with or without remanding the cause for a rehearing."
42 U.S.C. § 405(g); Shalala v. Schaefer, 509 U.S. 292, 296, 113 S.Ct. 2625 (1993).
Here, the Court finds remand for the purpose of the ALJ to further evaluate the evidence
as addressed above appropriate.
Based on the foregoing, the Court finds remand appropriate and grants the
Commissioner's motion to remand this case to the Commissioner for further administrative
action pursuant to "sentence four" of section 405(g).
DATED this 20th day of September, 2013.

/s/ Erin L. Setser
HON. ERIN L. SETSER
UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

-2-

AO72A
(Rev. 8/82)