Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_04-cv-01677/USCOURTS-cand-3_04-cv-01677-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
JoAnne B. Barnhart
Defendant
Dana Collins
Plaintiff

Document Text:

United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DANA COLLINS,

Plaintiff,

 v.

JOANNE B. BARNHART,

Defendant.

 /

No. C 04-01677 SI

ORDER RE: FURTHER BRIEFING

The Court has reviewed the parties’ cross-motions for summary judgment. Plaintiff seeks judicial

review of the Administrative Law Judge’s September 5, 2003 denial of her request for a hearing on whether

to reopen her 1995 application for disability insurance benefits. Plaintiff contends that the failure to consider

the 1995 application violated her due process rights because she was entitled to additional benefits under the

1995 application that were not recoverable under the 1998 application. Defendant argues, inter alia, that

plaintiff has failed to state a claim because the Commissioner has been paying plaintiff benefits under the 1998

application retroactive to December 1992, and thataccording to plaintiff’sowntestimony, the 1995 application

alleged the same disability onset date as the 1998 application.

In her reply, plaintiff cites 42 C.F.R. § 402(j)(1)(A), as support for her argument that the Social

Security regulations only allow up to 12 months of retroactive benefits. Although the citation provided by

plaintiff is incorrect, the Court hasidentified a regulationwhich appears to support plaintiff’s position. See 20

C.F.R. § 404.621(a) (“If you file an application for disability benefits . . . you may receive benefits for up to

12 months immediately before the month in which your application is filed.”). 

Accordingly, the Court directsthe parties to file supplementalbriefs regarding (1) the benefit onset date

under the 1998 application, and (2) whether 20 C.F.R. § 404.621(a), or anyotherstatute orregulation, applies

Case 3:04-cv-01677-SI Document 14 Filed 09/19/05 Page 1 of 2
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

2

to determine and/or limit the retroactivity of disability insurance benefits. In addition, if defendant concludes

thatplaintiffwould be eligible for additionalbenefits under the 1995 application thatwere notrecoverable under

the 1998 application, defendant shall also address how, if at all, that fact affects defendant’s cross-motion for

summary judgment. Defendant’s supplemental brief shall be filed and served no later thanOctober5, 2005;

plaintiff’s response supplemental brief shall be filed and served no later than October 12, 2005. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: September 19, 2005

 

SUSAN ILLSTON

United States District Judge

Case 3:04-cv-01677-SI Document 14 Filed 09/19/05 Page 2 of 2