Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ared-5_04-cv-00427/USCOURTS-ared-5_04-cv-00427-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 863
Nature of Suit: Social Security - DIWC/DIWW (405(g))
Cause of Action: 42:405 Review of HHS Decision (DIWC)

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Michael J. Astrue was sworn in as the Commissioner of Social

Security on February 12, 2007. He is therefore substituted for Jo

Anne B. Barnhart pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 25(d)(1).

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS

PINE BLUFF DIVISION

JAMES SOLOMON Plaintiff

v. 5:04CV00427 HLJ

MICHAEL J. ASTRUE,

Commissioner, Social 

Security Administration,1 Defendant

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

Defendant has moved to dismiss this case for want of subject

matter jurisdiction, urging that Plaintiff has failed to exhaust

his administrative remedies and thus there has been no final

decision of the Commissioner from which to appeal. Although time

has passed, Plaintiff has not responded to Defendant’s motion to

dismiss.

(g) Judicial review. Any individual, after any final

decision of the Commissioner of Social Security made

after a hearing to which he was a party, irrespective of

the amount in controversy, may obtain a review of such

decision by a civil action commenced within sixty days

after the mailing to him of notice of such decision or

within such further time as the Commissioner of Social

Security may allow. . . .

42 U.S.C. § 405 (1995).

(h) Finality of Commissioner's decision. The findings

and decisions of the Commissioner of Social Security

after a hearing shall be binding upon all individuals who

were parties to such hearing. No findings of fact or

decision of the Commissioner of Social Security shall be

reviewed by any person, tribunal, or governmental agency

except as herein provided. . . .

Id.

Case 5:04-cv-00427-HLJ Document 7 Filed 08/14/07 Page 1 of 2
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In conjunction with his motion, Defendant has filed the

affidavit of an appropriate official of the Social Security

Administration. That affidavit and attached exhibit show that an

administrative hearing was held before an Administrative Law Judge

(ALJ), who issued a ruling finding Plaintiff not disabled May 10,

2004. Plaintiff sought review by the Appeals Council, which

remanded the case to the ALJ. No final decision of Commissioner

has been rendered.

The Social Security Act precludes general federal subject

matter jurisdiction until administrative remedies have been

exhausted. Anderson v. Sullivan, 959 F.2d 690, 692 (8th Cir.

1992).

Exhaustion is generally required as a matter of

preventing premature interference with agency processes,

so that the agency may function efficiently and so that

it may have an opportunity to correct its own errors, to

afford the parties and the courts the benefit of its

experience and expertise, and to compile a record which

is adequate for judicial review.

Weinberger v. Salfi, 422 U.S. 749, 765 (1975).

It is clear that Plaintiff failed to exhaust his

administrative remedies. Defendant's motion to dismiss is welltaken.

THEREFORE, Defendant's motion to dismiss (docket #5) is

granted, and Plaintiff's complaint is dismissed without prejudice.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED this 14th day of August, 2007.

 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 5:04-cv-00427-HLJ Document 7 Filed 08/14/07 Page 2 of 2