Powell v. Commissioner of Social Security Administration

Filing 24

ORDER RULING ON REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS adopting 18 Report and Recommendations, affirming the decision of the Commissioner. Signed by Honorable Joseph F Anderson, Jr on 12/07/2011. (bshr, )

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF SOUTH CAROLINA

Zana J. Powell,

)
)
Plaintiff,
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v.
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Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of
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Social Security,
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Defendant.
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______________________________________ )

C/A No. 0:10-2920-JFA-PJG

ORDER

The plaintiff, Zana J. Powell, brings this action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) to
obtain judicial review of the final decision of the Commissioner of Social Security
(Commissioner) denying her claim for supplemental security income (SSI) and disability
insurance benefits (DIB) under Title II of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 401–433.
The Magistrate Judge assigned to this action 1 has prepared a Report and
Recommendation wherein he suggests that the Commissioner’s decision to deny benefits
should be affirmed. The Report sets forth in detail the relevant facts and standards of law on
this matter, and the court incorporates such without a recitation.
The parties were advised of their right to submit objections to the Report and
Recommendation. The plaintiff’s objections to the Report are merely duplicative of the
issues that were presented to and addressed by the Magistrate Judge. Having reviewed the

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The Magistrate Judge’s review is made in accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(B) and Local Civil Rule 73.02. The
Magistrate Judge makes only a recommendation to this court. The recommendation has no presumptive weight, and the
responsibility to make a final determination remains with the court. Mathews v. Weber, 423 U.S. 261 (1976). The court
is charged with making a de novo determination of those portions of the Report to which specific objection is made and
the court may accept, reject, or modify, in whole or in part, the recommendation of the M agistrate Judge, or recommit
the matter to the Magistrate Judge with instructions. 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1).

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record in light of the plaintiff’s objections and under the appropriate standards, the court
adopts the Report and concurs with both the reasoning and the result reached by the
Magistrate Judge.
It is the duty of the ALJ reviewing the case, and not the responsibility of the courts,
to make findings of fact and resolve conflicts in the evidence. This court’s scope of review
is limited to the determination of whether the findings of the Commissioner are supported
by substantial evidence taking the record as a whole, Craig v. Chater, 76 F.3d 585, 589 (4th
Cir. 1996), and whether the correct law was applied,” Walls v. Barnhart, 296 F.3d 287, 290
(4th Cir. 2002).
After a careful review of the record, including the findings of the ALJ, the briefs from
the plaintiff and the Commissioner, the Magistrate Judge’s Report, and the plaintiff’s
objections thereto, this court finds the Report is proper and is incorporated herein by
reference. Accordingly, the Commissioner’s decision is affirmed.
IT IS SO ORDERED.

December 7, 2011
Columbia, South Carolina

Joseph F. Anderson, Jr.
United States District Judge

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