Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_11-cv-01899/USCOURTS-caed-1_11-cv-01899-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 864
Nature of Suit: Social Security - SSID Title XVI
Cause of Action: 42:405 Review of HHS Decision (SSID)

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BENJAMIN B. WAGNER

United States Attorney

DONNA L. CALVERT

Acting Regional Chief Counsel, Region IX 

Social Security Administration

PATRICK WILLIAM SNYDER

Special Assistant United States Attorney

333 Market Street, Suite 1500

San Francisco, California 94105

Telephone: (415) 977-8927

Facsimile: (415) 744-0135

E-Mail: Patrick.Snyder@ssa.gov

Attorneys for Defendant

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ROBERTO M. VASQUEZ, )

)

Plaintiff, )

)

v. )

)

MICHAEL J. ASTRUE, )

Commissioner of )

Social Security, )

)

Defendant. )

)

)

)

____________________________________)

CASE NO. 1:11-cv-01899-SKO

STIPULATION AND ORDER

REMANDING THE ACTION TO THE

COMMISSIONER OF SOCIAL

SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

PURSUANT TO SENTENCE SIX OF 42

U.S.C. § 405(g)

ORDER ADMINISTRATIVELY

CLOSING THE CASE

The parties hereby stipulate by counsel, with the Court’s approval as indicated by

issuance of the below Order, for remand of this action pursuant to sentence six of 42 U.S.C. §

405(g).

Remand is necessary because significant portions of the recording of the Administrative

Law Judge (ALJ) hearing held on November 25, 2008 are inaudible. Upon receipt of the Court

order, the Commissioner will remand the case for a de novo ALJ hearing. This remand request is

made pursuant to sentence six of section 205(g) of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 405(g),

which provides that:

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“The court may, on motion of the Commissioner of Social Security made for good

cause shown before the Commissioner files [her] answer, remand the case to the

Commissioner of Social Security for further action by the Commissioner....”

See 42 U.S.C. 405(g); see also Melkonyan v. Sullivan, 501 U.S. 89, 101 n.2 (1991); Shalala v.

Schaefer, 509 U.S. 292 (1993). 

The joint conference committee of Congress, when reporting upon the Social Security

Disability Amendments of 1980 (to the Social Security Act), acknowledged that in some cases

procedural difficulties, such as an inaudible hearing tape or a lost file, necessitate a request for

remand in the matter. The intent of the committee was that such procedural defects be

considered "good cause" for remand. The committee stated:

“Such a situation is an example of what could be considered 'good cause' for

remand. Where, for example, the tape recording of the claimant's oral hearing is

lost or inaudible, or cannot otherwise be transcribed, or where the claimant's files

cannot be located or are incomplete, good cause would exist to remand the claim

to the Secretary for appropriate action to produce a record . . ..” (H.R. Rep. No.

96-944, 96th Cong., 2d Sess. 59 (1980)).

Here, significant portions of the ALJ hearing recording are inaudible. Upon receipt of the

remand order, the Commissioner will remand the case for a de novo ALJ hearing. 

Good cause having been shown, the action should be remanded to the Commissioner for

further proceedings as stated above.

Respectfully submitted,

Dated: March 19, 2012 /s/ Steven Gilbert Rosales

_____________________

STEVEN GILBERT ROSALES

(as authorized via email March 19, 2012)

Attorney at Law

Attorney for Plaintiff

Dated: March 19, 2012 BENJAMIN B. WAGNER

United States Attorney

DONNA L. CALVERT

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Acting Regional Chief Counsel, Region IX

Social Security Administration

By:

/s/ Patrick William Snyder

_______________________

PATRICK WILLIAM SNYDER 

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney

Attorneys for Defendant

ORDER

The Court has reviewed the parties’ stipulation for remand. Because the recording of the

administrative hearing is inaudible, good cause exists to remand the claim to the Commissioner for

appropriate action to produce a record pursuant to sentence six of section 205(g) of the Social

Security Act. 42 U.S.C. § 405(g). 

The Court retains jurisdiction over the matter, and either party may file a request to reopen

the case once the administrative proceedings have been completed. Further, the Commissioner shall

file a status report every ninety (90) days from the date of this order regarding the progress of the

administrative proceedings.

Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. This action is REMANDED to the Commissioner of the Social Security

Administration pursuant to sentence six of section 205(g) of the Social Security Act

(42 U.S.C. § 405(g)); 

2. The Commissioner shall FILE a status report every ninety (90) days, commencing

from the date of this order, regarding the progress of the administrative proceedings;

and 

3. The Clerk of the Court is DIRECTED to administratively close this case.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: March 20, 2012 /s/ Sheila K. Oberto 

ie14hj UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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