Blakesley v. Commissioner of Social Security

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO EASTERN DIVISION

LATISHA D. B.,

Plaintiff, :

Case No. 2:22-cv-3875 v. Judge Sarah D. Morrison

Magistrate Judge Karen L.

Litkovitz COMMISSIONER OF SOCIAL SECURITY, :

Defendant.

ORDER Plaintiff brings this action under 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) for review of a final decision of the Commissioner of Social Security (“Commissioner”) denying her application for supplemental security income (“SSI”). (ECF No. 1.) Plaintiff filed her Statement of Errors on February 17, 2023. (ECF No. 8.) The Commissioner filed a Memorandum in Opposition (ECF No. 9), and Plaintiff replied (ECF No. 10). On July 25, 2023, the Magistrate Judge issued a Report and Recommendation, recommending that the Court overrule Plaintiff’s Statement of Errors and affirm the Commissioner’s denial of benefits. (ECF No. 11.) Plaintiff filed a timely Objection to the Report and Recommendation. (ECF No. 12.) In her response, the Commissioner rested on arguments made in her Memorandum and on the Magistrate Judge’s Report and Recommendation. (ECF No. 13.) If a party objects within the allotted time to a report and recommendation, the Court “shall make a de novo determination of those portions of the report or specified proposed findings or recommendations to which objection is made.” 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1); see also Fed. R. Civ. P. 72(b). Upon review, the Court “may accept, reject, or modify, in whole or in part, the findings or recommendations made by the magistrate judge.” 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1). The Court’s review “is limited to

determining whether the Commissioner’s decision ‘is supported by substantial evidence and was made pursuant to proper legal standards.’” Ealy v. Comm’r of Soc. Sec., 594 F.3d 504, 512 (6th Cir. 2010) (quoting Rogers v. Comm’r of Soc. Sec., 486 F.3d 234, 241 (6th Cir. 2007)); see also 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) (“The findings of the Commissioner of Social Security as to any fact, if supported by substantial evidence, shall be conclusive . . . .”). The Court has carefully reviewed the record and concludes that the decision

of the Commission is supported by substantial evidence and was made pursuant to proper legal standards. The issues raised in Plaintiff’s Objection were considered and correctly addressed by the Magistrate Judge. Accordingly, the Court OVERRULES Plaintiff’s Objection (ECF No. 12), ADOPTS the Magistrate Judge’s Report and Recommendation (ECF No. 11), and AFFIRMS the Commissioner’s decision. The Clerk is DIRECTED to

TERMINATE this case from the docket records of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Eastern Division. IT IS SO ORDERED. /s/ Sarah D. Morrison SARAH D. MORRISON UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE