Robbins v. Colvin

142 F. Supp. 3d 205, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 148920, 2015 WL 6697256
CourtDistrict Court, D. Massachusetts
DecidedNovember 3, 2015
DocketCIVIL ACTION NO. 14-13829-MBB
StatusPublished

This text of 142 F. Supp. 3d 205 (Robbins v. Colvin) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Massachusetts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Robbins v. Colvin, 142 F. Supp. 3d 205, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 148920, 2015 WL 6697256 (D. Mass. 2015).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER RE: MOTION TO DISMISS FOR LACK OF SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION (DOCKET ENTRY # 13)

BOWLER, UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE.

Pending before this court is a motion to dismiss this social security disability action for lack of subject matter jurisdiction filed by defendant Carolyn W. Colvin, Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (“Commissioner”), under Fed. R.Civ.P. 12(b)(1) (“Rule 12(b)(1)”). (Docket Entry # 13). The Commissioner submits this court lacks jurisdiction to review a decision by the Appeals Council denying plaintiff Jeffrey Robbins (“plaintiff’) an extension of time to file a request for review of a decision by an administrative law judge (“ALJ”).

[207]*207Plaintiff contends that neither he nor his attorney received the ALJ’s decision until after the 60 day appeal period expired. In opposing the motion, plaintiff provides affidavits from his attorney and office staff attesting that the office did not receive the ALJ’s August 19, 2013 decision until an office case manager retrieved it on November 11, 2013, from an electronic records portal maintained by the Social Security Administration (“SSA”). Plaintiff promptly filed a motion seeking an extension of time to file an appeal of the ALJ’s decision, which the Appeals Council denied. Plaintiff filed this action thereafter under 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) and, notably, “the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment.” (Docket Entry # 1).

BACKGROUND

On April 14, 2011, plaintiff, at the age of 21, filed an application for child insurance benefits on the basis of a disability and the earnings record of his mother. On the same day, plaintiff filed an application for supplemental security income. (Docket Entry # 14-1, pp. 8, 32).1 On July 29, 2011, the state agency denied the applications. On August 8, 2011, plaintiff filed a request for reconsideration within the 60 day time period. (Docket Entry # 14-1, pp. 8-9, 30); 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.909, 416.1409. On October 19, 2011, the Commissioner denied reconsideration. (Docket Entry # 14-1, pp. 9, 30); 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.920, 416.1420. On November 1, 2011, plaintiff filed a timely request for a hearing before the ALJ. (Docket Entry # 14-1, pp. 9, 30); 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.933, 416.1433. The ALJ conducted an evidentiary hearing on July 23, 2013. (Docket Entry # 14-1, p. 9). On August 19, 2013, the ALJ issued a written decision and determined that plaintiff was not disabled. (Docket Entry # 14-1, pp. 8-23); 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.953, 416.1453.

Regulations dictate that the ALJ “shall mail a copy of the decision to all the parties at their last known address.” 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.953(a), 416.1453(a). Where, as here, plaintiff had an attorney, the regulations also require the SSA to send plaintiff’s attorney notice of the decision. 20 C.F.R. § 404.1715 (“We shall send your representative-(l) ■ Notice and a copy of any administrative action, determination, or decision”) (emphasis added); 20 C.F.R. § 416.1515.

The ALJ’s decision is ordinarily binding on the parties unless a party “request[s] a review of the decision by the Appeals Council within the stated time period.” 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.955, 416.1455; see also 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.900(a)(4), 416.1400(a)(4). The stated time period to file a request for review by the Appeals Council is 60 days from receipt of the notice. 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.968(a)(1), 416.1468. As stated in the regulations, plaintiff has “60 days after the date [plaintiff]. receive[s] notice of the hearing decision or dismissal” of a request for a hearing to file a. written request for Appeals Council review. 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.968(a)(1), 416.1468; see 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.967, 416.1467. Receipt as opposed to the mailing date of the notice is the operative guideline. 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.968(a)(1), 416.1468. Regulations define the date a plaintiff receives notice as “5 days after the date on the notice, unless you show us that you did not receive it within the 5-day period.”2 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.901, 416.1401. This same presump[208]*208tion applies to receipt of the ALJ’s decision by plaintiffs attorney. 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.1703, 416.1503.

A plaintiff may also request an extension of the 60 day time period to file a request for Appeals Council review. 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.968(a)(1), 416.1468. Filed with the Appeals Council, the written request “must give the. reasons why the request for review- was not filed- within the stated time period.” 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.968, 416.1468. If plaintiff shows “good cause for missing the deadline, the time period will be extended.”3 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.968, 416.1468. The regulations define “good cause.” 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.911, 416.1411. One of the nine examples of circumstances “where good cause may exist” is that the plaintiff “did not receive notice of the determination or decision.”4 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.911, 416.1411.

Here, the electronic file maintained by the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review applicable to plaintiffs applications includes the ALJ’s August 19, 2013 decision along with a notice of the unfavorable decisión dated August 19, 2013. The notice is addressed to plaintiff at 22 Wall" Street in Brockton, Massachusetts with a courtesy copy to plaintiffs counsel at his current and correct address in Portland, Maine.

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Bluebook (online)
142 F. Supp. 3d 205, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 148920, 2015 WL 6697256, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/robbins-v-colvin-mad-2015.