Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_15-cv-02583/USCOURTS-caed-2_15-cv-02583-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Commissioner of Social Security
Defendant
Lisa Ann Day
Plaintiff

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

LISA ANN DAY, 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

CAROLYN W. COLVIN, Acting 

Commissioner of Social Security, 

Defendant. 

No. 2:15-cv-02583-AC 

ORDER 

Plaintiff has requested authority under 28 U.S.C. § 1915 to proceed in forma pauperis. 

Plaintiff has submitted the affidavit required by § 1915(a) showing that plaintiff is unable to 

prepay fees and costs or give security for them. Accordingly, the request to proceed in forma 

pauperis will be granted. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a). 

I. SCREENING STANDARD 

Granting IFP status does end the court’s inquiry. The federal IFP statute requires federal 

courts to dismiss a case if the action is legally “frivolous or malicious,” fails to state a claim upon 

which relief may be granted, or seeks monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such 

relief. 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2). 

Plaintiffs must assist the court in making this determination by drafting their complaint so 

that it contains a “short and plain statement” of the basis for federal jurisdiction (that is, the 

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reason the case is filed in this court, rather than in a state court), as well as a short and plain 

statement showing that plaintiffs are entitled to relief (that is, who harmed the plaintiffs, and in 

what way). Plaintiffs’ claims must be set forth simply, concisely and directly. See “Rule 8” of 

the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (Fed. R. Civ. P. 8). The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 

are available online at www.uscourts.gov/rules-policies/current-rules-practiceprocedure/federalrules-civil-procedure. 

A claim is legally frivolous when it lacks an arguable basis either in law or in fact. 

Neitzke v. Williams, 490 U.S. 319, 325 (1989). In reviewing a complaint under this standard, the 

court will (1) accept as true all of the factual allegations contained in the complaint, unless they 

are clearly baseless or fanciful, (2) construe those allegations in the light most favorable to the 

plaintiff, and (3) resolve all doubts in the plaintiffs’ favor. See Neitzke, 490 U.S. at 327; 

Erickson v. Pardus, 551 U.S. 89, 94 (2007); Von Saher v. Norton Simon Museum of Art at 

Pasadena, 592 F.3d 954, 960 (9th Cir. 2010); Hebbe v. Pliler, 627 F.3d 338, 340 (9th Cir. 2010). 

However, the court need not accept the truth of legal conclusions that are phrased as 

factual allegations, or allegations that contradict matters properly subject to judicial notice. See 

Western Mining Council v. Watt, 643 F.2d 618, 624 (9th Cir. 1981); Sprewell v. Golden State 

Warriors, 266 F.3d 979, 988 (9th Cir.), as amended, 275 F.3d 1187 (2001). 

Pro se pleadings are held to a less stringent standard than those drafted by lawyers. 

Haines v. Kerner, 404 U.S. 519, 520 (1972). Pro se complaints are construed liberally and may 

only be dismissed if it appears beyond doubt that the plaintiff can prove no set of facts in support 

of his claim which would entitle him to relief. Nordstrom v. Ryan, 762 F.3d 903, 908 (9th Cir. 

2014). A pro se litigant is entitled to notice of the deficiencies in the complaint and an 

opportunity to amend, unless the complaint’s deficiencies could not be cured by amendment. See 

Noll v. Carlson, 809 F.2d 1446, 1448 (9th Cir. 1987). 

II. ANALYSIS 

“The exclusive method for obtaining judicial review of a final decision of the [Social 

Security Administration] is set forth in [42 U.S.C. § 405(g)].” Tate v. United States, 437 F.2d 88 

(9th Cir. 1971). This statute provides: 

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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. 

§ 405(g). This provision operates as a statute of limitations setting the time period in which a 

claimant may appeal a final decision of the Commissioner of Social Security (“the 

Commissioner”). Bowen v. City of New York, 476 U.S. 467, 479 (1986). Because the appeal 

provision set forth in § 405(g) constitutes a waiver of sovereign immunity, courts must strictly 

construe the applicable time limit. Id.; see also Fletcher v. Apfel, 210 F.3d 510, 513 (5th Cir. 

2000) (affirming summary judgment in favor of the Commissioner for untimely filing of one 

day). Accordingly, a complaint appealing the Commissioner’s denial of an application for social 

security benefits must allege the dates of the plaintiff’s application(s) and the related denial(s). 

Cribbet v. Comm’r of Soc. Sec., No. 1:12-CV-01142-BAM, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 155574, at 

*2–3 (E.D. Cal. Oct. 29, 2012) (M.J. McAuliffe); Cook v. Astrue, No. 1:12-CV-00347-GSA, 

2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 31999, at *5–7 (E.D. Cal. Mar. 9, 2012) (M.J. Austin); Sanchez v. Astrue, 

No. 1:11-CV-00607 GSA, 2011 WL 1549307, at *2–3 (E.D. Cal. Apr. 21, 2011) (M.J. Austin). 

The plaintiff must also allege that he or she appealed to the Appeals Council, setting forth the 

application date, the decision date, and the outcome. Id. 

Here, the entirety of plaintiff’s complaint reads as follows: 

I Lisa Ann Day is filing A formal complaint to the Commissioner 

of Social Security. I feel I have been treated unfairly due to the 

circumstances. I was only approved for two years and it was all 

based on my carpol tunnal surgery I received in 2007. They have 

not even looked at any of my other physical or mental disabilities. 

ECF No. 1. Plaintiff has not provided any dates related to her application or applications for 

disability benefits and the related denials. Therefore, it is impossible for the court to determine 

whether plaintiff's filing is timely and her complaint must be dismissed. 

Although plaintiff’s complaint contains deficiencies as outlined above, the court will 

allow plaintiff an opportunity to amend. If plaintiff decides to file an amended complaint, she is 

advised that an amended complaint supersedes the original complaint. Forsyth v. Humana, Inc., 

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114 F.3d 1467, 1474 (9th Cir. 1997); King v. Atiyeh, 814 F.2d 565, 567 (9th Cir. 1987); see also 

Local Rule 220. Any amended complaint must (1) establish its timeliness, and (2) allege facts 

sufficient to show she is entitled to relief. Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a). As the court has explained, to 

establish her complaint’s timeliness plaintiff must allege that she appealed the Commissioner’s 

denial of her application for benefits and when her appeal was denied. Plaintiff must also allege 

why it is the Commissioner’s decision was incorrect in terms that are both simple and concise. 

III. CONCLUSION 

In accordance with the foregoing, THE COURT HEREBY ORDERS that: 

1. Plaintiff’s application to proceed in forma pauperis, ECF No. 2, is GRANTED; 

 2. Plaintiff’s complaint, ECF No. 1, is DISMISSED; and 

3. Plaintiff is granted thirty days from the date of service of this order to file an amended 

complaint that complies with the requirements of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and the 

Local Rules of Practice; the amended complaint must bear the docket number assigned this case 

and must be labeled “First Amended Complaint”; plaintiff must file an original and two copies of 

the amended complaint; failure to file an amended complaint in accordance with this order will 

result in a recommendation that this action be dismissed. 

DATED: January 7, 2016 

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