UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN 

NORTHERN DIVISION 

HELEN WRIGHT, 

 Plaintiff, Case No. 14-cv-14327 

v. Honorable Thomas L. Ludington 

 Magistrate Judge Patricia T. Morris 

COMMISSIONER OF SOCIAL SECURITY, 

 Defendant. 

__________________________________________/ 

ORDER ADOPTING REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION, DENYING PLAINTIFF’S 

MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT, GRANTING DEFENDANT’S MOTION FOR 

SUMMARY JUDGMENT, AND DISMISSING PLAINTIFF’S COMPLAINT 

 On November 10, 2014, Plaintiff Helen Wright filed a Complaint appealing the 

determination by the Social Security Administration that she was not entitled to benefits. Compl., 

ECF No. 1. On February 20, 2015, Wright filed a motion for summary judgment. The 

Commissioner filed a motion for summary judgment on April 2, 2015. Wright’s counsel was 

removed by an order of this court on November 18, 2015. Wright was given until December 21, 

2015 to obtain new counsel or she would be deemed to be proceeding pro se. On January 5, 

2016, Wright was deemed to be proceeding pro se. 

Wright made no contact with the Court after her attorney was removed from the case. 

Accordingly, Magistrate Judge Patricia T. Morris, to whom the case was referred, ordered 

Wright to show cause by March 2, 2016 why her case should not be dismissed for want of 

prosecution. Wright did not respond. 

On March 7, 2016, Judge Morris issued a report recommending that Wright’s case be 

dismissed for failure to prosecute. See Rep. & Rec. 3–5, ECF No. 23. In the alternative, Judge 

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Morris determined that the ALJ’s decision on Wright’s application for Social Security benefits 

was supported by substantial evidence. Id. at 5–7. Thus, Wright’s appeal from that decision was 

without merit. Id. 

Although the Magistrate Judge’s report explicitly stated that the parties to this action may 

object to and seek review of the recommendation within fourteen days of service of the report, 

neither Plaintiff nor Defendant filed any objections. The election not to file objections to the 

Magistrate Judge’s report releases the Court from its duty to independently review the record. 

Thomas v. Arn, 474 U.S. 140, 149 (1985). The failure to file objections to the report and 

recommendation waives any further right to appeal. 

Accordingly, it is ORDERED that the magistrate judge’s report and recommendation, 

ECF No. 23, is ADOPTED. 

It is further ORDERED that Plaintiff Helen Wright’s motion for summary judgment, 

ECF No. 9, is DENIED. 

 It is further ORDERED that Defendant Commissioner’s motion for summary judgment, 

ECF No. 12, is GRANTED. 

 It is further ORDERED that Plaintiff Helen Wright’s Complaint, ECF No. 1, is 

DISMISSED with prejudice for failure to prosecute and because the ALJ’s decision was 

supported by substantial evidence. 

Dated: March 28, 2016 s/Thomas L. Ludington 

 THOMAS L. LUDINGTON 

 United States District Judge 

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PROOF OF SERVICE 

The undersigned certifies that a copy of the foregoing order was served 

upon each attorney or party of record herein by electronic means or first 

class U.S. mail on March 28, 2016. 

 s/Michael A. Sian 

 MICHAEL A. SIAN, Case Manager 

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