Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_14-cv-01843/USCOURTS-caed-1_14-cv-01843-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 864
Nature of Suit: Social Security - SSID Title XVI
Cause of Action: 42:206 Social Security Benefits

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

CYNTHIA Y. MOORE,

Plaintiff,

v.

COMMISSIONER OF SOCIAL 

SECURITY,

Defendant.

1:14-cv-01843---GSA

ORDER DISMISSING COMPLAINT 

WITH LEAVE TO AMEND

(Doc. 1)

I. Introduction

Plaintiff Cynthia Moore (“Plaintiff”) filed a Social Security complaint (the “Complaint”) 

on November 24, 2014. ECF No. 1. Plaintiff‟s application to proceed in forma pauperis was 

granted on January 9, 2015. ECF No. 4. 

Plaintiff appears to be challenging a denial of her Social Security benefits in the

Complaint. As discussed below, however, the Complaint will be dismissed because it fails to state 

a claim. Plaintiff is granted leave to correct the mistakes discussed below and file an amended 

complaint.

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II. Discussion

a. Legal Standard

Under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2), the Court must conduct an initial review of the Complaint 

to determine whether it “state[s] a claim on which relief may be granted,” is “frivolous or 

malicious,” or “seek[s] monetary relief against a defendant who is immune from such relief.” If 

the Court determines that the Complaint fails to state a claim, it must be dismissed. Id. Leave to 

amend may be granted to the extent that the deficiencies of the Complaint can be cured by 

amendment. Cato v. United States, 70 F.3d 1103, 1106 (9th Cir. 1995). 

A complaint must contain “a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the 

pleader is entitled to relief . . . .” Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2). Detailed factual allegations are not 

required, but “[t]hreadbare recitals of the elements of a cause of action, supported by mere 

conclusory statements, do not suffice.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009) (citing Bell 

Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 1964-65 (2007)). Plaintiff must set 

forth “sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to „state a claim that is plausible on its face.‟” 

Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 663 (quoting Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555). While factual allegations 

are accepted as true, legal conclusion are not. Id. at 678.

To determine whether a complaint states an actionable claim, the Court must accept the 

allegations in the complaint as true, Hospital Bldg. Co. v. Trustees of Rex Hospital, 425 U.S. 738, 

740 (1976), construe pro se pleadings liberally in the light most favorable to the Plaintiff, Resnick 

v. Hayes, 213 F.3d 443, 447 (9th Cir. 2000), and resolve all doubts in the Plaintiff‟s favor. 

Jenkins v. McKeithen, 395 U.S. 411, 421 (1969). Pleadings of pro se plaintiffs “must be held to 

less stringent standards than formal pleadings drafted by lawyers.” Hebbe v. Pliler, 627 F.3d 338, 

342 (9th Cir. 2010) (holding that pro se complaints should continue to be liberally construed after 

Iqbal). 

b. Plaintiff’s Allegations

Plaintiff‟s Complaint indicates that the Complaint was filed “based on the June 28, 2013 

unfavorable decision.” ECF No. 1. It does not allege who (or which agency) rendered the 

decision, nor does it specify any of the findings of that decision. The Complaint proceeds to cite 

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to particular pages of the decision, saying, among other things, that “on page 3 of 9 there is 

inadequate and out dated [sic] information.” Id. The Complaint makes the same comment about 

page 7 of the decision; the page apparently has “inadequate and outdated information that should 

be further looked into.” Id. The Complaint further notes that Plaintiff has recently had surgery and 

would like her case “looked into again.” Id. The Complaint does not go into further detail and 

does not specify any factual or legal basis for the appeal.

c. Analysis of Plaintiff’s Allegations

Under Rule 8(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, a complaint must first set forth a 

“short and plain statement of the grounds for the court‟s jurisdiction.” Under 42 U.S.C. § 405(g), 

a plaintiff appealing a final decision of a denial of Social Security benefits can only come within 

the jurisdiction of this Court if: (1) the appeal is filed within sixty days after she is mailed the 

notice of the final decision of the Commissioner of Social Security; and (2) she resides in the 

district in which the action is filed. 

A “final decision” under 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) is reached only after a lengthy process in 

which Plaintiff must exhaust her administrative remedies. Once a denial of benefits is received, a 

claimant must file for reconsideration of that decision with the Social Security Administration. 20 

C.F.R. § 904.909. If the Administration issues an adverse decision, an individual may request that 

an administrative law judge (“ALJ”) hold a hearing. 20 C.F.R. § 404.929. If the ALJ then issues 

an adverse decision, an appeal may be filed with the Social Security Appeals Council. Any appeal 

to the Appeals Council must be filed within sixty days of the ALJ‟s decision. 20 C.F.R. § 

404.968. Once the Appeals Council issues its decision, a Claimant can file a complaint in the 

United States District Court. This complaint must be filed within sixty days of the Appeals 

Council‟s order. 42 U.S.C. § 405(g). 

It is not clear from the face of the Complaint that either of the conditions specified by 42 

U.S.C. § 405(g) have been met. Although the Complaint states that an unfavorable decision was 

rendered on June 28, 2013, it is unclear who issued that decision or whether the requisite appeals 

process (as laid out above) has been followed. Plaintiff should clearly indicate the dates that any 

appeals were filed, as well as the dates and results of those appeals, in any amended complaint.

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Rule 8(a) additionally requires that each complaint contain “a short and plain statement of 

the claim showing the pleader is entitled to relief.” Detailed factual allegations are not required, 

but “[t]hreadbare recitals of the elements of a cause of action, supported by mere conclusory 

statements, do not suffice.” Iqbal, 550 U.S. at 555. 

In this Complaint, it is clear that Plaintiff believes that something was not reviewed 

adequately in previous proceedings. It is unclear, however, how specifically Plaintiff believes that 

the Social Security Administration erred in coming to its decision or which facts the 

Administration neglected to consider. Any amended complaint that Plaintiff files must correct 

these errors.

Plaintiff should also note that this Court can only review a final decision by the Social 

Security Administration to determine whether: (1) it is supported by substantial evidence; and (2) 

it applied the correct legal standards. Carmickle v. Commissioner, 533 F.3d 1155, 1159 (9th Cir. 

2008). In other words, the Court will not rehear the entirety of Plaintiff‟s case.

III. Leave to Amend

The Court will provide Plaintiff an opportunity to amend the Complaint to fix the issues 

identified above. If Plaintiff chooses to file a First Amended Complaint, it must bear the docket 

number assigned in this case and be labeled “First Amended Complaint.” As a general rule, an 

amended complaint supersedes the original complaint. Lacey v. Maricopa Cnty., 693 F.3d 896 

(9th Cir. 2012) (noting that there may be limited exceptions to this rule on appeal). In other 

words, the amended complaint must be “complete in itself without reference to the prior or 

superseded pleading.” Local Rule 220. 

IV. Order

For the reasons set forth above, Plaintiff‟s Complaint is DISMISSED WITH LEAVE TO 

AMEND. Plaintiff is instructed to consider the standards set forth in this Order and should only 

file an amended complaint if she believes her claims are cognizable. Any amended complaint 

shall be filed no later than February 23, 2015. Failure to file an amended complaint by the date 

specified will result in dismissal of this action.

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IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: January 21, 2015 /s/ Gary S. Austin 

 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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