Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_18-cv-00700/USCOURTS-casd-3_18-cv-00700-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 864
Nature of Suit: Social Security - SSID Title XVI
Cause of Action: 42:0402 Social Security Benefits

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18-CV-0700-W (JLB)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

HAROLD THOMAS,

Plaintiff,

v.

NANCY BERRYHILL, Acting 

Commissioner of Social Security,

Defendant.

Case No.: 18-CV-0700-W (JLB)

ORDER:

(1) ADOPTING REPORT AND 

RECOMMENDATION [DOC. 24]; 

(2) DENYING PLAINTIFF’S 

MOTION FOR SUMMARY 

JUDGMENT [DOC. 15]; AND

(3) GRANTING DEFENDANT’S 

MOTION FOR SUMMARY 

JUDGMENT [DOC. 17]

On April 9, 2018, Harold Thomas (“Plaintiff”) filed this action seeking judicial 

review of the Social Security Commissioner’s final decision denying his claim for a 

period of benefits under Title II and Title XVI of the Social Security Act. (See Compl.

[Doc. 1].) The matter was referred to the Honorable Jill Burkhardt, United States 

Magistrate Judge, for a report and recommendation pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1). 

(Apr. 11, 2018 Order [Doc. 4].) Thereafter, the parties filed cross-motions for summary 

judgment. (Pl.’s Mot. [Doc. 15]; Def.’s Mot. [Doc. 16].) 

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18-CV-0700-W (JLB)

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On July 18, 2019, Judge Burkhardt issued a Report and Recommendation (“R&R”)

recommending that the Court grant Defendant’s motion for summary judgment and deny 

Plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment. (R&R [Doc. 24] 11–12.) Judge Burkhardt

ordered that any objections be filed by August 1, 2019. (Id. [Doc. 19] 12.) No objections 

were filed. There has been no request for additional time to object.

A district court’s duties concerning a magistrate judge’s report and 

recommendation and a respondent’s objections thereto are set forth in Rule 72(b) of the 

Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1). When no objections are 

filed, the district court is not required to review the magistrate judge’s report and 

recommendation. See United States v. Reyna-Tapia, 328 F.3d 1114, 1121 (9th Cir. 2003) 

(reasoning that 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(C) “makes it clear that the district judge must 

review the magistrate judge’s finding and recommendations de novo if objection is made, 

but not otherwise”); Schmidt v. Johnstone, 263 F. Supp. 2d 1219, 1226 (D. Ariz. 2003) 

(concluding that where no objections were filed, the District Court had no obligation to 

review the magistrate judge’s report). This rule of law is well-established within both the 

Ninth Circuit and this district. See Wang v. Masaitis, 416 F.3d 992, 1000 n.13 (9th Cir. 

2005) (“Of course, de novo review of a R & R is only required when an objection is 

made to the R & R[.]”) (citing Reyna-Tapia, 328 F.3d at 1121); Nelson v. Giurbino, 395 

F. Supp. 2d 946, 949 (S.D. Cal. 2005) (Lorenz, J.) (adopting the R&R without review 

because neither party filed objections despite having the opportunity to do so); see also

Nichols v. Logan, 355 F. Supp. 2d 1155, 1157 (S.D. Cal. 2004) (Benitez, J.).

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Accordingly, the Court accepts Judge Burkhardt recommendation and ADOPTS 

the R&R [Doc. 24] in its entirety. 

For the reasons stated in the R&R, which is incorporated herein by reference, the 

Court GRANTS Defendant’s motion for summary judgment [Doc. 16], and DENIES 

Plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment [Doc. 15].

Judgment is entered in favor of Defendant. The Clerk is directed to close this case.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: August 9, 2019

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